Clueless Cookie is at it again...

(via GCS)

...and this time, she's showing her arrogance.

At a legislative luncheon yesterday at Page High School, GCS Board member (and the Board's legislative committee chair) Kris Cooke proudly, and without fear of reprisals, told a group of gathered state legislators (in so many words):

Give us taxing authority...or else.

Today's News & Record:

Board member Kris Cooke also lobbied state legislators to give school boards the ability to levy their own taxes.

"We desperately want the taxing authority," Cooke said. "If we don't do a good job with the money, vote us out."

Several board members oppose having the taxing authority.

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Be careful, Cookie...maybe you'll get your wish in four years.

Problem is, GCS doesn't do a good job with the money it has already. Hence, the supply money that is gone (I'm still waiting for the supply budget to be publicly audited).

GCS:

(via GCS)

Most of the agenda and discussion focused on critical state and federal funding issues. Board member Deena Hayes called for a change in state policy to exempt the public school system from North Carolina sales tax. While many public entities are exempt from the tax, it cost Guilford County Schools $2.3 million in the 2007-08 school year.

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But State Sen. Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) had more serious issues with the state's third largest school system...and apparently, he didn't walk away with a whole lot of answers. Specifically, he had reservations with the district's dropout rate and the direction of funding for specific programs.

N&R:

Berger, a Republican, said he would like to see more funding for programs such as incentive and bonus pay for difficult-to-recruit positions such as math, science and special education and at low-performing schools..

"If we can find new dollars, they need to go to things like that, with a proven track record," he said.

Guilford County Schools operates a teacher incentive program similar to this called Mission Possible.

Berger also called into question the 2.9 percent dropout rate reported by the school system.

"There's no question we've got to recognize the problems we have in education, specifically the horrendous dropout rate," he said.

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I also found this interesting:

N&R:

The school board lobbied for several other issues on the legislative agenda during the meeting as well. The agenda covers a many issues, the one element central to most is money. The system says it needs more flexibility to use it.

Several legislators said more funding isn't likely. "There are so many issues and, as it relates to money, I don't know how we'll work it out," State Rep. Katie Dorsett said.

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So it's another example of the state reneging on its primary mission...to educate its children. Of course, Raleigh is not alone in these dire economic times, but of course, if they knew how to budget properly in Raleigh, GCS would not have had to send back money to cover their mistakes.

And another interesting note...the article mentioned the board registered its opposition to any tuition or voucher program. Wonder why that would have come up all of a sudden and out of nowhere? Any thoughts? Could it be because enrollments at local private and parochial schools are on the rise?

E.C. :)