I recently became a consultant in the Augusta school system supporting amazing teachers and administrators. The efforts of all the staff to provide exceptional education for our future leaders and citizens are phenomenal. Cutting staff and possibly closing Hussey School will undoubtedly effect the quality that exists today. Putting more children in classrooms will change the dynamics for all and perhaps some of the best teachers will decide to leave because of these projections. (“School officials tasked with closing $6 million gap consider staff cuts, closing elementary school,” Feb. 16)

There are already huge challenges in filling existing positions and limited funds for professional development. Cutting the budget will only exacerbate the challenges educators are already facing. Yes, children will learn and survive within these constraints, why not secure funding to help them thrive and support the exceptional staff to do so?

We are one of the richest countries in the world yet our education systems are so under funded. Free and Appropriate Education, FAPE, and special education, Individualized Education Act, IDEA, great laws which were never fully funded. Great on paper and wonderful concept for both of these to exist if only there was enough funding to implement them. In my eyes education needs to work towards maximizing children’s potential, provide opportunities for more professional development and training for dedicated educators rather than adding more responsibilities with fewer resources.

Gov. Mills just announced $15 million is being awarded to community colleges yet there seems to be no resources or options readily available to address the budget crisis the Augusta School Department is faced with other than making cuts. Perhaps it’s time to make a realistic paradigm shift that will match up with today’s real world demands rather than continuing to work with old perspectives that simply don’t encompass the depth of changes in educating children today.

I am wondering why there are such limited resources to help balance their budget rather than making more cuts. If you think education is expensive, think about how costly ignorance is.

 

Murielle DiBiase

Palermo