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This letter, addressed to key legislators, is written by a central New Jersey parent who is a member of the Garden State Parent Network. It is an excellent example of the thoughtful parent perspective and argument against S1701.
Dear Senator Bryant,
My name is Molly Emiliani and I am a member of the Garden State Coalition of Schools Parent Network. I am a parent of five children, an educator and a former school board member. I have experienced many different sides of the educational system in the State of
I am writing this very passionate letter to ask you to post bills S2329 and S2278 at the
Bursting at the seams is a classic way to describe the increased enrollments at many schools throughout the state of
School districts must continue to work within ridiculous financial restraints and try to meet the needs of the booming student populations. Some kind of financial accountability must be imposed on the groups that continue to exacerbate this problem and reap the financial benefits. Let’s impose a surcharge on the people who have a direct financial benefit from this situation so that school districts can accommodate the increased demands and needs.
Bills like S1701 are completely irresponsible because they further cripple school districts in regard to providing for the extra needs of students. School districts continue to get squeezed in the vise of increased enrollments and the incurred costs and between the state imposed financial caps. The bottom line is that the state wants districts to do more for more with less and less.
Let’s get real here. Students are the ones that will suffer because let’s face it, no one will tackle the costs like teacher salaries and benefits that are “must pays” for districts. Salaries continue to climb to ridiculous heights faster than a runaway train! The only areas of school budgets that can actually be touched when reductions are needed (in order to comply with bills like S1701) are areas that are directly linked to student programs and classroom related expenses. These cuts directly hurt the children. When are we going to put the students first in the convoluted scenario? THIS
The state needs to go after some of the groups that have NO parameters when it comes to “taxing” the budgets schools have to work with. NJEA, special education providers for special needs students that need to be placed outside of a school district because of their needs, special services providers for students in district, companies that provide electrical and heating/cooling services to schools, transportation companies (i.e. busing) are just a few of the groups that can charge whatever they want and school districts are at their mercy. Why doesn’t the state start to impose restrictions for what these groups can charge so that school districts have a fighting chance to make ends meet? I’d LOVE to get a response from SOMEONE on that question!
Maybe your children are older and have already graduated from high school or maybe your children attend private schools and are not a part of the public education system, whatever the case, for a moment imagine that you children
Let school districts do their job! Let school districts do what is necessary to provide for the educational needs of their student populations, which is not a one size fits all funding formula! Individual school districts are not all the same…needs are different.
Please don’t legislate in the “Do as I say, not as I do” mentality. See if you could run your businesses(a.k.a. school districts) within the same imposed caps (a.k.a. S1701) and continue to provide for all the needs of your customers (a.k.a. students) and employees (a.k.a. teachers) without soon running into the brick wall of not having enough money to do all you need to do in order to keep your company from failing. Hmmm…that is something to think about isn’t it? I have a feeling that you will come to the same conclusion that many school districts have already come to…IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Thank you for your kind attention. Please post Bills S2329 and S2278 for the
Sincerely yours,
Molly R. Emiliani