Fairfax County Public Schools Faces $140 Million Shortfall (Oakton, Vienna: new home, buy)

[SPHokie]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

I don't have a problem with children getting free lunches. For most of these kids, it's the only decent meal they get each day. I don't begrudge money going towards feeding children who would otherwise go hungry.

I don't think anyone has a problem with feeding hungry children.

The issue is whether its really the school's responsibility to do so. Especially if the program is becoming a financial drain on the rest of the school. Maybe it should be run as a separate entity with its own budget.

[CaliTerp07]

Our school is actually working to offer free dinner to students who are at school until 7 pm each night. The government offers grants to schools in low income areas, and our middle school qualifies based on the percent of students in poverty. (Yep, in Fairfax County). We try to staff projects and clubs or safe hang out places as late as we can each night so the kids have somewhere supervised to be.

[acgood]

Originally Posted by Ben 'n Jen

During a recent discussion with a principal of an area high school, I asked him "What is your single largest line item on your budget?"

Answer: the lunchroom.

The cost of feeding 2500+ kids every day, a portion of those that don't pay a thing, costs him more than the teacher's salaries.

All three of our kids take lunches most days.

So let me aske this...why should our schools be required to feed the kids in the school? You and I don't get cheap lunches at work?

If you do some elementary school math you will quickly discover that this claim is simply impossible- payroll expenses would be many times higher than any plausible food budget you can dream up. But let's not let that get in the way of some good political rants

[ICS67]

More Chicken Little from the Fairfax County school system.

So, class size may be increased by one student and, to quote the Hunter Mill school board rep cited by the Post, "Some elementary schools in Vienna already have class sizes over 30 in some grades."

Well, when I went to Catholic parochial school in a working class neighborhood in one of the New York City outer boroughs, my eighth grade graduation class numbered 39. Should I mention that in sixth grade there were 50 students in my class, and as I look at my first grade class photo I count 59 students? How did we turn out, being so allegedly deprived and underprivileged because of class size? Among my classmates we count a university professor, an FDNY battalion chief, a diplomat, a lawyer, and a cardiologist currently running a $2 billion cardiac care program. Point being there's a lot more to student success than class size, such as individual motivation and hard work, as well as parental involvement.

The Fairfax County school system, with its "gimme gimme gimme" mentality is so bloated, especially on the administrative side, that it could very easily achieve cost efficiencies without lowering educational standards. And if teachers don't like their current level of compensation, they are free to go look for work elsewhere.

[BlueRidge1]

Originally Posted by HokieFan

I don't have a problem with children getting free lunches. For most of these kids, it's the only decent meal they get each day. I don't begrudge money going towards feeding children who would otherwise go hungry.

This is such a myth and it's surprising it's never questioned. The idea that 1 out of 8 people are "struggling with hunger" conjures up images of people starving and unable to get more than a meal every few days. This isn't what these inflammatory statistics actually represent. They are measures of whether people are worried that their food might run out before they get more money, or if they can't afford a "balanced meal", or having to rely on low-cost food. Not exactly the image of hungry school children, is it?

The larger issue is whose responsibility is it to feed children: the school/govt or their parents? If you can find starving children by all means I will be the first to donate food. But these programs overwhelmingly feed kids who aren't malnourished, and all they do is encourage dependence on these breakfasts/lunches and provide no incentive for parents to feed their children. The DC metro area is the richest in the nation - 1 in 8 are not hungry. But why buy breakfast/lunch for your children if the county - via other taxpayers - will?

[jmking]

Originally Posted by r0lf3cbn

I for one am glad this news is coming out now, before I decide where to buy a house next year.

The article quotes someone saying Vienna elementary schools have class sizes of 30+ students. For real?

I just sold my home of 15 years 2 months ago in Fairfax to payoff medical debt. I am now renting nearby and will not purchase a new home in Fairfax with the rather large profit. In my circumstance my wife and I are very lucky to have been able to unload the home, pay off all debts, and still have a bit of money left.

What is alien to me is when I was in elementary school the class sizes where closer to 50 per class.

[jmking]

Originally Posted by SPHokie

I think that 30+ students per class is pretty typical.

Hmmm, I wonder how large the classes would be if we actually enforced the immigration laws?

Keep in mind, many folks in the US--citizens---are having a very bad time of it in their local areas. Many are flocking here for work.

[Yankeesfan]

We hear this sort of hysteria every year from the school system. Every single year. I'd like to say "nothing to see here," but since there's a new superintendent, it will probably get more attention than usual.

[r0lf3cbn]

Originally Posted by ICS67

Well, when I went to Catholic parochial school in a working class neighborhood in one of the New York City outer boroughs, my eighth grade graduation class numbered 39. Should I mention that in sixth grade there were 50 students in my class, and as I look at my first grade class photo I count 59 students?

How many of them were Irish twins?

Originally Posted by ICS67

How did we turn out, being so allegedly deprived and underprivileged because of class size? Among my classmates we count a university professor, an FDNY battalion chief, a diplomat, a lawyer, and a cardiologist currently running a $2 billion cardiac care program. Point being there's a lot more to student success than class size, such as individual motivation and hard work, as well as parental involvement

Maybe Fairfax should increase class size to three hundred students, so the kids can grow up to take over the world.

All else being equal, I would prefer my kids to be in a twenty-student class rather than a thirty-student class.

[Darkseid]

Originally Posted by ICS67

my eighth grade graduation class numbered 39. Should I mention that in sixth grade there were 50 students in my class, and as I look at my first grade class photo I count 59 students?

Just curious. Was that the entire grade or just your class?