TU: Duval School Board agenda (board votes on raises for themselves?)

[Patricia M. McBride]

The board meeting includes a salary increase for board members when the school budget and what we offer the children the schools serve less?   Really?  And we are going to lay off teachers while the board (who does nothing to improve education directly) get a raise???   At a time when people consider themselves lucky to just have a job and no one has seen a raise or cost of living increase since the nightmare in the white house took office.  Time to write to someone or go to the meeting tonight and let them know you are not happy about their GREED.

By The Times-Union

November 1, 2011 - 07:04am

Duval School Board agenda

The Duval County School Board's monthly meeting is at 6 p.m. today in the auditorium of the School Board Administation Building, 1701 Prudential Drive.

The meeting will be televised live on Comcast Cable Channel 99 and WJCT Digital Channel 7.4. WJCT TV-7 will air a tape-delayed broadcast at midnight.

Among the items to be considered:

Item: Salary increase for board members

What it means: The board will vote on aligning its policy on members' salaries with state law. The expiration of a two-year provision in state law means board member salaries will revert back to a formula-based calculation. The result is Duval board members' salaries will go from $37,300 to $40,160. Each member can choose not to accept the increase, which three have done.

Item: Teacher layoffs

What it means: The board will vote on whether to cut 18 teaching positions, largely because of class-size restrictions and the increased need for teachers in core subjects. The positions that would be cut are five special education, five physical education, four guidance, three vocational and one driver's education. The cuts would save the district about $1 million.

Item: Closing of Bank of America Learning Academy

What it means: The board will vote again on whether to close the Bank of America Learning Academy. The board voted 3-3 on closing the school in May, which was called a failed vote. An obscure state law says that tied votes in a county the size of Duval is determined by the chairman's vote, which means the school should have been closed. Closing the school is estimated to save the district $310,000 annually.

Item: KIPP Jacksonville Charter Schools

What it means: The board will vote on whether to approve two new elementary charter schools for KIPP Jacksonville. The district staff has recommended approval.

Item: Final order in the Michael Brown case

What it means: The board will vote on whether to render a final order in the case. The board voted in April to fire Brown, who is a teacher, but Brown requested a hearing. An administrative law judge found cause for Brown's termination.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-11-01/story/duval-school-bo...