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Union to board: Stop dragging levy decision

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By Lawrence Budd , Staff Writer 10:09 AM Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Teachers and board members stood together during four recent school-levy campaigns.

On the heels of a fourth consecutive defeat, however, the school board has delayed the process to put another levy on November ballots, despite encouragement from the Springboro Education Association to get on with it.

Earlier this month, the teachers’ union urged the board against dragging its feet on the November levy opportunity.

“It is the position of the SEA that the school levy must be placed on the ballot at the first possible opportunity: November 2009,” union President Scott Maney said in a message sent to the board and district administrators June 5.

No teachers were among 32 full- and part-time employees cut in the aftermath of the levy defeats, part of an estimated $3 million in cuts, which also included the closing of Jonathan Wright Elementary and limiting busing to the state minimum, serving only those students living beyond a two-mile radius from their school.

But teachers’ salaries have been frozen by the levy defeats. Their contract has expired and cuts in budget items for professional development and materials hurt the teachers.

The only new teachers to be hired will fill mandated positions focused on special-education students. That means class sizes will grow.

And the board switched health-care plans, requiring teachers to cover out-of-pocket expenses, while funding an account for these expenses,.

“The schools cannot continue to do more with less without impacting the educational process,” Maney said in response to questions about the union’s position.

Yet, the board canceled plans for a special June meeting to discuss how and when to ask voters for more taxes to operate the school district. Now the levy discussion will be part of a regular July 14 meeting.

Last week, the board considered a proposal to lower student fees next year. Superintendent David Baker congratulated principals on fee schedules designed to acknowledge the financial hard times faced by many in the community.

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