Contentious School Cuts Made in Wallingford
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The Wallingford Board of Education passes a budget not everyone is happy with.
The vote was anything but unanimous. Even so, the Wallingford Board of Education has approved an $89 million budget for the 2010-2011 school year.
Included in the budget is what some call contention cuts. The plan calls for 83 teacher and staff layoffs. It also increased class size in the elementary schools and includes the “pay for play” plan for high school athletes. That plan will charge kids $100 to play one sport, $200 to play two sports, with a $300 family cap.
“A lot of parents are upset about the pay for play. Our kids go to public schools. Why should we have to pay for the sports programs?” said Nancy Shanks of Wallingford.
School board members opted not to reconfigure schools amidst stiff opposition. That doesn’t mean its completely off the table though. At least one board member says the town will reject the school board’s budget, which means more cuts in spending will be made.
“I have ambivalent feeling towards our budget knowing full well we aren’t going to get what we’re asking for. I also feel we should have included reconfiguration,” said Valerie Ford, a school board member.
The approved budget now goes to the mayor and town council for the final decision on how much money the school board will ultimately get.
Posted Monday, Feb 22, 2010 - 10:51 PM EST
