Recently there was a post on Facebook by someone attempting to raise money for locks on lockers when the Milner School moves to Tower Avenue.
The person attempting to raise the funds for the locks is Patrick Williams, the Academic Support Co-Ordinator at the Thirman Milner School. Now I think it is commendable that Mr. Williams took it upon himself to try to provide locks for the students, but in a system that pays its Superintendent in the area of $276.000 a year in salary (not including benefits) and funds over $17,million for staff in the Central Office and Administrators it is beyond comprehension.
Should we really have to resort to Facebook fundraisers and bake sales to support the infrastructure of a school?
Even more disgusting is the total disregard for academics as opposed to once again taking care of the adults.
I went through Superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez's proposed budget last night, line by line and it is just amazing to me the waste on things that have nothing to do with education. As an example, In the Superintendents Office under the Office of Academics, Teaching and Learning. What could be more important than Teaching and Learning? You would think that is the reason the Hartford Schools exist, to teach and for students to learn.
.
Imagine my surprise, no one in the Superintendents Office could find $1,000.00 to buy locks but the budget for travel in the Office of Academics, Teaching and Learning more than tripled for next year. This years budget in the Office of Academics , Teaching and learning alone is $7825.00, for just one office. That budget is proposed to more than triple next year to $24,045.00 an increase of over 300% for just one office.
I keep hearing the horror stories from teachers who can't get teaching supplies for their classrooms and bathrooms without handsoap or paper products, but $24,000 to travel?
An yes, it is obscene that children are not receiving the educations they are entitled to because very well paid staff members want to hop on airplanes for their junkets and stay in the best hotels
And the rubber stamp puppets on the Board of Education will just skim right over this budget.
Standby for the next car wash or bake sale to keep the Hartford Schools afloat.







