Public school parents must wake up
Teachers, parents and students gathered at Sachem High School East on Feb. 17 for a rally against proposed cuts in public education. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Personal, local, state and federal budgets all are being tightened to mend our overspending. What is missing is a commitment to get the education job done.
When a business falters, budgets are cut to enable survival. The command to remaining staff is: Do more with less. Get the job done. Those who honor the command usually survive and prosper.
Why then do educational leaders and educators always need more to do the job? Because parents fall into their trap: "Mary and Johnny will get less unless you plead for us!" They cut the extras - art, sports, after-school care, etc. - which are necessities to parents. Superintendents must focus on effectively educating with less, be creative leaders and end their focus on manipulating parents to assist in begging at Albany's table.
Parents, wake up! Do not fall victim to the whining you hear. Education needs a major revamping, and that can only come by learning to do more with less. Committed educators have always done what was necessary and more. They cared more about the outcome - educated and successful youth - than their income, pay, benefits, pensions and class size.
Gunther Geiss, Southold
Editor's note: The writer is professor emeritus of business at Adelphi University
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