Hebron Dollars & Sense

I don't know if any of you are aware of the letter sent out via e-notify to the Hebron school community by the Super, but the last line reads:

""If the budget does not pass, these reductions will stand and the Board of Education will
have to reduce the budget further. Thank you for your support of Hebron Schools."


Here's the link: www.hebron.k12.ct.us/uploaded/Hebron_Dis...of_the_Community.pdf



Unfortunately, this letter has scared quite a few of the parents,, and many are now thinking of voting "yes" because they do not want anything else cut (music, Spanish, etc.). I've had quite a few parents come up to me to express their concern and fear that the HBOE will stay with the ADK and remove other programs. Prior to this letter from the schools, these people were going to vote "no". I don't know what can be done now, but I just wanted to pass along this concern.

Well, It certainly smacks of scare tactics. The blog came down because "the school didn't want to influence the upcoming referendum". I believe our parents are smart and will see through these tactics and vote appropriately.

Parents, you are too smart to fall for this veiled threat. We discussed techniques used to garner support of proposed budgets. Here is a link that explains these techniques: Click here

Become pro-active ... flood the members of the HBOE with phone calls and emails. Make time to tour the schools while they are in session. Ask board members to be a real board where issues are discussed and no one rubber-stamps all the items on the superintendents "wish list". Ask them to make the difficult choices and eliminate ONLY line items that will not impact on the students and the number of students per classroom. The cuts should start at the top with administrative staff, non-teaching support staff, and the elimination of all day kindergarten (ADK) and the expenses related to that program. The current program being pushed by the administration for ADK will only service less than 10% of the student population. With a declining enrollment this program needs to be eliminated completely!

Remember, on the town organizational chart we (the town voters are on the top). Stand up to this administration and HBOE ... tell them enough is enough. Stop holding my child hostage in support of this inflated budget. Your NO vote on the town budget (which has the HBOE as a line item) will send a clear message. "You cannot frighten me with veiled threats!!"

Kevin wrote:


Sounds Like The "Slick Willy" "Scare & Dare" Tactics Of Yesteryear Doesn't It??

Are We Sure That He, Maria/Sabrina & The Hebron INEPT Crew ain't Consorting With Eliie & Doobie On Thi$ ??

VOTE IT DOWN!!

Using The Kids As Pawns To Further A FLAWED, UNMANDATED, UNPROVEN & EGOTISTICAL AGENDA Is The Most DESPICABLE Political Play Possible & Ellie, Doobie & The HBOE Minus 1 Should Be ASHAMED Of Themselves For Stooping So Low

The Letter Is BORDERLINE ILLEGAL & MORALLY & ETHICALLY BANKRUPT, Especially After The Statements Made saying They "DID NOT WANT TO INFLUENCE THE BUDGET In ANY WAY"

HYPOCRISY AT IT"S FINEST BY ELLIE, DOOBIE & The HBOE Minus 1

READ this and decide IF the the action (email to parents, posting on school website -- all tools supported by the public) is a LEGAL OR ETHICAL ISSUE . Looks like the same play, same scene but different "actors"!

Here is the link to an issue in Tolland County (in 2008) Click here

the way parents and concerned citizens should respond is to vote no, but give direction to the BOF and BOS on the exit poll that the proposed budget is acceptable. If folks indicate that the BOE budget is too high, the BOF will reduce it and more programs will be cut.

If the budget fails but gets sent back at a similar level, with direction that ADK is the big reason it gets shot down, it will be harder for the BOE to keep this program over any others.