Litigation

Milwaukee Public Schools budget time: Fun to be had by all

By Tracy Coenen

If you live in the Milwaukee area, you’re well aware that the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is easily one of the worst school systems in the country. The answer always seems to be MONEY. But the money isn’t really “for the children” as they would have you believe. The teacher’s union is running things, and the money doesn’t go to help the kids, it goes to line the pockets of the teachers.

Think I’m kidding? Check out what the average teacher is being paid in MPS. We’re talking total compensation of $80,000 to $110,000 per year for a job that requires about 1/2 to 2/3 the time and effort of regular professional jobs.

MPS also has a bloated administration budget, with far too many employees and nonsense wasting our money. MPS has become glorified daycare, feeding many children 3 meals a day (parents too stupid to feed their children?) and worrying more about how good they feel than if they can read and write.

The MPS enrollment for the school year that just ended was 86,819. Enrollment is projected to go down 4.7% for the next school year, which would put them at 82,739 students. The total budget being proposed for the next school year is $1.2 billion dollars. Yes, with a “b.” That equals spending of $14,503 per student. Are they out of their minds?

And if that’s not bad enough, there are a bunch of people who think the district should waste another $21 million “because they can.” Yep. The law would allow the district to waste $21 million more and people think they should do it. The legal limit on spending is based on the previous year’s spending, so by not “spending to the max” this time around, the district lowers future limits.

So here we are spending $14,503 per student to have one of the worst school districts in the country. That doesn’t really sound like a bargain to me. Area private high schools are charging tuition of $5,000 to $8,000. What does that say about the spending at MPS at more than double the middle of that range?

I’m so tired of hearing that MPS can’t do this or that for the children. It’s not because there’s not enough money. It’s because the money is being spent foolishly. And taxpayers need to demand better. MPS is a big toilet and my tax money is being flushed down it.

Full post as published by The FRAUDfiles Blog on June 05, 2008 (boomark / email).