Teachers should not have to spend hundreds of dollars every year
to stock their classrooms with basic supplies.
But that, unfortunately, has become common practice in school
districts across the state and Gilroy, as reporter Lori Stuenkel
outlined, is no exception.
Teachers should not have to spend hundreds of dollars every year to stock their classrooms with basic supplies.
But that, unfortunately, has become common practice in school districts across the state and Gilroy, as reporter Lori Stuenkel outlined, is no exception.
Let’s change that. The Gilroy School Board should lead an effort to make classroom supply budgets realistic so that teachers don’t have to spend their own cash or constantly solicit donations from parents.
How often have we heard the talk from local candidates about keeping budget cuts away from the classroom? Yet, when it comes right down to it, the money for basic classroom supplies is woefully inadequate and, in practice, the Gilroy Unified School District budget hardly recognizes that fact, thereby forcing teachers to spend and beg.
This isn’t a whine about “our poor underpaid teachers.” It’s a basic recognition that teachers should be given the supplies to adequately do their jobs. And frankly, the teachers in the more well-to-do neighborhood schools are less likely to spend as much on supplies because the parent club is more likely to supplement the school budget as well as individual classrooms.
Thus a teacher in a school in a higher income neighborhood actually takes home more money because they’re not spending as much on supplies. Take that one more step, and it’s clear our community is adding an incentive for teachers to move into higher income neighborhood schools.
GUSD and its students would be far better off if the annual budget plans included adequate amounts for classroom supplies.
Yes, there’s never enough money for everything, which leads to the perennial school budget question of where to cut. Our answer is the same as the typical school board candidates’: away from the classroom.
Wouldn’t it be great if that stock answer about budget cuts turned into a premise for decision making?
Gilroy voters should tuck this bit of information back into their collective memory bank. As the candidates for school board make the rounds and answer questions in forums, ask them: How would you propose to keep budget cuts as far away from the classroom as possible?
The answers could be telling. Incumbents and candidates alike should be able to answer with conviction. Meanwhile, maybe one or two candidates will take up the issue to give teachers a supply budget that ensures a level playing field for students and doesn’t leave techers’ wallets hundreds of dollars lighter. Their dedication should not be taken advantage of.
