RSS 2.0 FeedThursday, November 3, 2011, Bellmore Life
NB school committee hearing gets heated
Long-term solutions are lacking.
One of many in the audience during a question-and-answer session attempt to make a point about facts being presented by the committee. Photo by Doug Finlay
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The North Bellmore School District Committee to Explore Educational Options (CEEO) meeting last night became contentious when at least two audience members challenged the committee’s work, suggesting that the group was simply a distraction to appease the public, and complaining that the committee was not putting forth a 3-5-year plan.
The lack of such a long-term plan would put the district in the same situation next year, forcing it to cut even more.
All evening the committee discussed the possibility of closing a school – taking a straw poll in which 19 of 20 committee members in attendance agreed that a school would have to close – and discussed programs vital to the students, as well as programs that could fall under the category of discretionary spending.
Some programs, such as the Alpha program and an arts program, are jewels in the district, said committee member Dan Checkla, and shouldn’t be touched, even as they could be considered discretionary.
Others programs, such as the Certified Special Education program, could actually bring in tuition, one committee member suggested.
But Arnold Goldstein, superintendent of schools, bristled at an audience member who suggested during the question-and-answer portion of the program that the school board had already concluded a school would have to be shut to make up the mounting deficit, and that the committee was just there to appease the public.
"Why are you saying you have to close a school before you get learn what more concessions teachers might be willing to give?" the attendee aked Mr. Goldstein.
Mr. Goldstein said that the integrity of the school board was beyond question, and the board is doing everything in its power to keep the programs in place during this “unprecedented economic crisis” the district finds itself in.
Another committee member, Angela Bennett, told this newspaper that taking a referendum to raise taxes to close the deficit would not likely work because, according to new state law, there has to be a 60% majority of the community in favor of raising taxes, and there doesn’t appear to be a majority vote for raising taxes.
Read more in Wednesday’s edition. Also go to Bellmore Life’s Facebook to get resident reactions.
