Editorial: Record's support for public education is unwavering
Publication Date: 11/30/08
When it comes to public education in this state funding crisis, St. Johns County's public schools are lean and getting leaner.
The latest estimates on declining state revenue by the state's Revenue Estimating Conference will put St. Johns County public schools down another $9.3 million this year after last year's $11.3 million cut. An early estimate for 2009-2010 is for a $15 million cut, school officials said.
An editorial cartoon in The St. Augustine Record last Sunday carried the wrong message about the School District's response suggesting that the administration was enjoying paid leaves while teachers were being cut and school was cancelled. The cartoon was drawn by Ed Hall, long time freelance cartoonist to The St. Augustine Record. It is not the opinion of The Record but of the cartoonist.
Superintendent Joe Joyner said the cartoon was not factual. Facts presented by Joyner to The Record, based on local, state and national data, refute the cartoon.
* According to the U.S. Census Bureau figures for 2005-2006, Florida is 50th in the nation in dollars spent on public education and on school administration.
* St. Johns County ranks fifth from the bottom statewide in dollars spent on total district-level expenditures. That's a good thing.
* It ranks fifth from the top statewide in total school expenditures and eighth from the top statewide in instructional expenses. That's another plus because money is going into the schools and the classrooms
* While art, music and physical education classes may be in jeopardy elsewhere, St. Johns has not cut them. The county's 31 traditional schools all offer those courses. The state mandates PE in the elementary schools but provides no additional funds for it. Next year, the PE mandate is for middle schools, too, again without additional funding.
* Middle and high schools were all cut one dean and one media specialist this year. That means deans and media specialists not cut have more work to do.
* The only group with reduced salaries are district's administrators. The district also has had a hiring freeze on administrators for two years.
The School District has a power point presentation on its Web site -- Shining the Light on the Education Budget. It outlines the district's response to Florida's budget crisis and its impact. We suggest you look it over at www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/admin/supt/budget.
It is unfortunate the district was portrayed in a bad light in Hall's cartoon.
It does not reflect our editorial position which hasn't changed. We still say the district cannot afford to lose any more money. The state should do what it said last year when it was pushing property tax reform: Hold harmless public education. That didn't happen. The state should look elsewhere for its cuts. The education of our future leaders is at stake.
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