Don't Show a Blind Eye to the Economy

To the Editor:

Garrison School Board President Anita Prentice's remarks in the Journal News story of Jan. 28, authored by Gary Stern, insult not only the burdened taxpayers of the Garrison School District, but also the unpaid dedicated members of the now defunct Budget Advisory Committee.

Mrs. Prentice has now come up with a brand new excuse for dissolving the committee at a time when its combined expertise is desperately needed. She said it takes up too much time.

These volunteers are generously donating their time. Some have done so for more than a decade. So time is not their problem. Time should not be the problem for the well-paid members of the committee who represent the paid school personnel, such as the Superintendent, Principal, and Business Manager. And, if time is a problem with the School Board members, they should not have run for an office that they understood was going to eat up their leisure time.

The Gary Stern article quotes officials of other school districts and budget advisory committees. All except Garrison seem convinced that schools must tighten their belts. The person who suggested that teachers might have to be laid off and classes made larger is right on target. Teachers may see that their demands for raises cost some of them their jobs. Garrison's "successful" contract settlement with some 2 percent plus raises for the previous two years and also in the next several years shows a blind eye to the current economy.
Betsy Calhoun
GARRISON