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R_At1antis OP t1_iutl2yr wrote

Reply to comment by keepseeing444 in How should parents weigh BOE candidates? by R_At1antis

Thanks - I am genuinely on the fence here as my taxes did go up significantly. I wish more background was available on why layoffs were thought to be needed in 2019 - I asked him in a followup question, but didn’t get a response.

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Mindless-Budget9019 t1_iuu3ctk wrote

If PS16 is one of the best zoned urban elementary schools in the country, do you honestly think any imaginary teacher cuts would affect it?

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R_At1antis OP t1_iuu4emt wrote

It’s a good point - impact to learning may be marginal given the peer group, but it could certainly impact comfort.

Eg larger class sizes, classes taught in hallways. Even basics like air conditioning - the air conditioner in a prek class broke last year, and one of the parents told me the school wouldn’t accept donation money to get it fixed. Maybe if he had fought more he could have made it happen, but it may just be more productive to pay the higher taxes and live with the attendant corruption.

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Mindless-Budget9019 t1_iuu6u0m wrote

The ends do not justify the means. It sounds like the air conditioner was fixed eventually. If not, the BOE increased their budget to nearly 1 billion and received an additional 100m in unexpected money from the state. Why didn’t they fix it? It sounds like more accountability and oversight is needed to ensure the board has the right priorities.

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keepseeing444 t1_iuyvv5v wrote

Alexander Hamilton was voted in Nov of 2019 as a trustee board member. And not actually in office until 2020. Those layoffs happened before he got elected so if I were you maybe ask the superintendent who is a 40 year lifer.

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