Post by Chal™ on Jul 22, 2011 9:35:49 GMT -5
Memphis City Schools to consider delaying start of school year
Board threatens delay over unpaid city funds
By Jane Roberts
Memphis Commercial Appeal
The Memphis school board, saying it is tired of being held hostage by the City Council over money, will meet in emergency session today to discuss delaying the start of school until the money starts to flow.
School board members said Monday that they have given the council every opportunity to pay and can no longer accept its -- or Mayor A C Wharton's -- assurances that anything will be different in the coming year.
Aug. 8 is the scheduled first day of school.
The board says the council owes the schools $151.3 million: what the city still owes for 2008-09, shortfalls on two subsequent school years and $78 million for the coming year.
"I am sick and tired of playing games with the mayor and City Council," board member Kenneth Whalum said Monday. "They don't have any intention of paying. If they had, they would have paid."
Whalum suggested "we throw a 100-yard pass and force them to catch it. I suggest we not open school until we get everything we need, every duck lined up in a row. ... Every day these children are at home with their parents" will put pressure on the City Council.
One by one, board members who almost never agree with Whalum signaled their support, including board member Tomeka Hart, whose clashes with Whalum are frequent.
"I guess that makes it a super miracle because I find myself agreeing with Rev. Whalum," she said to an auditorium erupting in laughter.
"We need some real research and legal opinions on what is the authority and power of the board to do this. What is the real effect on the school system," she asked, reminding the board that if they delay so long that the board can't submit a legal budget to the state by Oct. 1 "then we have a whole other issue."
Dorsey Hopson, the school board's attorney, said the board has authority to run the school calendar however it sees fit as long as it schedules 180 days of instruction time.
In a letter to Supt. Kriner Cash on Monday, Wharton said the City Council had set aside $55 million for the coming school year. Additionally, he said the schools would get money generated from an 18.68-cent tax levy "or the recently adopted 18 cents to pay school-related obligations. These additional funds should be addressed whenever the City Council meets to hear the MCS budget."
Wharton also said the city has $3million on hand that it didn't pay for the just-finished year that will be paid "subject to an agreement" between lawyers regarding "judicial guidance on this payment."
The school board said it is tired of promises from the city not backed by action. Its meeting at 5:30 p.m. today is to talk strategy around calling what it considers to be the city's bluff.
Last week, Cash was directed to cut from the current budget the $78 million the city voted June 20 to pay for the coming year.
His list of cuts Monday included wiping out the district's optional school brand, all athletics and world languages plus chopping entire budgets for string music, JROTC, teen parenting programs, school security staff, early childhood education and staff professional development.
"I agree with my colleagues," board member Betty Mallott said Monday. "I would not open schools without these programs if I could avoid it. I consider them basic for an urban school district. We know many of these programs have become essential. I consider these essential if not mandatory. I would prefer we delay the opening of school until we can open with these programs."
Board threatens delay over unpaid city funds
By Jane Roberts
Memphis Commercial Appeal
The Memphis school board, saying it is tired of being held hostage by the City Council over money, will meet in emergency session today to discuss delaying the start of school until the money starts to flow.
School board members said Monday that they have given the council every opportunity to pay and can no longer accept its -- or Mayor A C Wharton's -- assurances that anything will be different in the coming year.
Aug. 8 is the scheduled first day of school.
The board says the council owes the schools $151.3 million: what the city still owes for 2008-09, shortfalls on two subsequent school years and $78 million for the coming year.
"I am sick and tired of playing games with the mayor and City Council," board member Kenneth Whalum said Monday. "They don't have any intention of paying. If they had, they would have paid."
Whalum suggested "we throw a 100-yard pass and force them to catch it. I suggest we not open school until we get everything we need, every duck lined up in a row. ... Every day these children are at home with their parents" will put pressure on the City Council.
One by one, board members who almost never agree with Whalum signaled their support, including board member Tomeka Hart, whose clashes with Whalum are frequent.
"I guess that makes it a super miracle because I find myself agreeing with Rev. Whalum," she said to an auditorium erupting in laughter.
"We need some real research and legal opinions on what is the authority and power of the board to do this. What is the real effect on the school system," she asked, reminding the board that if they delay so long that the board can't submit a legal budget to the state by Oct. 1 "then we have a whole other issue."
Dorsey Hopson, the school board's attorney, said the board has authority to run the school calendar however it sees fit as long as it schedules 180 days of instruction time.
In a letter to Supt. Kriner Cash on Monday, Wharton said the City Council had set aside $55 million for the coming school year. Additionally, he said the schools would get money generated from an 18.68-cent tax levy "or the recently adopted 18 cents to pay school-related obligations. These additional funds should be addressed whenever the City Council meets to hear the MCS budget."
Wharton also said the city has $3million on hand that it didn't pay for the just-finished year that will be paid "subject to an agreement" between lawyers regarding "judicial guidance on this payment."
The school board said it is tired of promises from the city not backed by action. Its meeting at 5:30 p.m. today is to talk strategy around calling what it considers to be the city's bluff.
Last week, Cash was directed to cut from the current budget the $78 million the city voted June 20 to pay for the coming year.
His list of cuts Monday included wiping out the district's optional school brand, all athletics and world languages plus chopping entire budgets for string music, JROTC, teen parenting programs, school security staff, early childhood education and staff professional development.
"I agree with my colleagues," board member Betty Mallott said Monday. "I would not open schools without these programs if I could avoid it. I consider them basic for an urban school district. We know many of these programs have become essential. I consider these essential if not mandatory. I would prefer we delay the opening of school until we can open with these programs."