Keep furloughs out of schools

All across the country, students and teachers have been heading back to the classroom for another year of reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic.

Well, sort of.

In Georgia, statewide furloughs have been mandated this term for all teachers. And in New Mexico, Florida and California, many individual districts are also following suit.

It’s understandable that in the current economy, states are looking for a variety of ways to trim their budgets. But in education? Because it directly affects the welfare and the future of our children, shouldn’t that be a last resort?

It’s not like teachers are paid particularly well anywhere, although some would argue otherwise. Generally those who do argue otherwise fail to acknowledge that a person who plays such a fundamental role in a child’s life should indeed be paid well, if he or she does the job well. And it goes without saying that those who fail to perform up to snuff simply shouldn’t have the job to begin with.

In regard to Georgia’s particular situation, one has to wonder whether the legislators who ordered the furloughs for teachers and other government employees are themselves being furloughed. Somehow we doubt it; at least, we could find no record of it.

What legislators have done, in Oklahoma and elsewhere, is cut taxes for those who, frankly, don’t need tax cuts. When this happens, it’s inevitable that services or jobs will have to be cut as well. And while every government entity undoubtedly has a number of bloated areas where cuts could easily be implemented, these areas never seem to be the ones to fall under the shadow of the ax.

We can wish on every star for all of Oklahoma’s legislators to possess the foresight and common sense of our own here in Cherokee County, but for the time being, that’s not the case. We can also keep our fingers crossed that some of the boneheaded decisions at the statehouse level won’t lead to furloughs for Oklahoma’s teachers.

One thing is for sure: That would not be a good move for the Tahlequah district. Many patrons are turning a wary eye toward expenditures that – to them, anyway – may seem frivolous during tough times. Questions will be asked, and complaints lodged. And even if the powers that be tried to keep the bad news under wraps, it would certainly leak out.

Oklahomans need to hold their legislators responsible for what happens to the education system in this state. But remember, patrons must also hold their individual school boards responsible for decisions made on the local level. They are the ones who ultimately approve expenditures. At the very least, they approve the continued employment of folks who make expenditures.