Arts...Sports...Consistency

[Chris_Wendt]

When the District was on austerity, sports and extracurricular activities were cut from the Contingent Budget. Wantagh SOS and others raised a lot of money to restore sports and many extracurricular activities. The BoE did restore the sports programs that had been cut from Contingent Budget, but (citing regulations and law) they did NOT restore 7th Grade Sports or the BOCES Summer Arts Program...because those two items were NOT cut from the Contingent Budget...but had been CUT from the original budget by the BoE...before the budget went before the voters.

Fast forward to 2010-11

The Golf Team had been cut by the BoE from the ORIGINAL BUDGET...BEFORE the original 2010-2011 budget was passed by the voters.

Now, there is talk of community fund raising to ""RESTORE"" the Golf Team. Well, the same regulations and laws that kept the BoE from restoring 7th Grade Sports and the BOCES Summer Arts Program should...in all good conscience...be applied to halt any attempt at fund raising to restore the Golf Team this year...in the name of consistency...and fairness.

Governing our school district demands both consistency and fairness in all matters.

Chris Wendt

[wantaghschoolmom]

Hi
I am not sure I'm reading this correctly. Are you saying the golf team should not be able to be reinstated due to fairness?

[Chris_Wendt]

As a matter of fairness, the rules are the rules, and they should be consistently applied by the BoE. It was impermissable for the BoE to restore 7th Grade Sports and the BOCES Summer Arts Program, because both of those items had been cut by the BoE as part of the original proposed budget (and NOT because of austerity rules under the Contingent Budget). They were OUT when the original budget went up for a vote.

The same situation now exists with the Golf Team (and other cuts) made by the BoE when they finalized the budget which the community has now passed into law. Such cuts should not be subject to reinstatement by fundraising, just as 7th Grade Sports and the BOCES Summer Arts program were not allowed to be reinstated by fuindraising, previously.

This is a matter of consistency, rather than fairness. Consistency in the application of regulations and laws...which also happens to be 'fair', but perhaps not always popular.

Chris Wendt

[lilly]

Chris, you're confusing the school year LIHSA program with their Summer Arts Academy.

The school year program was cut right before the final failed May budget during the contingency year. Kids were still allowed to attend the summer program for that year.

But, when we found out in late April that it was going to be cut, we asked the district whether we could fundraise to reinstate it. While the district was gladly talking to SOS about fundraising to reinstate sports, including separate 7th and 8th team, they dragged on giving an answer about the arts until July. Yes, July. And the answer for arts was no. Separate 7th & 8th teams were also no, I suspect bc they said no to arts, but that is just a hunch. There was plenty of dialog between SOS and the district, however couldn't get them to pay attention to arts.

Kids were only prohibited from going to the summer arts program last year, summer 2009. That program is no cost to taxpayers, at least that is the way it is handled in the majority of districts except maybe a Jericho. We are still waiting for the district to cite the accounting and or education regulation that prohibits Wantagh kids from attending, in writing, from the district.

We often hear the BOE state "that is what the community wants". Well for two years, the BAC subcommittee voted with an overwhelming majority to reinstate the school year arts program. Here is the presentation prior to the positive BAC vote:

www.wantaghconcernedcitizens.com/docs/Wantagh_SD_Art_BAC_March_2010.pdf

Anyhoo, all of this points to a larger issue. The district expects us to fund increases while enduring cuts to the kids. If you think it's going to stop anytime soon, I don't unless the district actually addresses the source of these increases. And I'm hard pressed to pull the yes lever anymore bc of it.

[lilly]

I happened to be looking thru some files this morning and found the attached.

Upon reading it again in light of the BOE's fundraising stance on cultural arts (denied after district dragged that one out for 3 months) and golf (ok'd immediately), it is particularly relevant.

I personally am not saying not to fundraise for golf. I hate when *any* kid activities are cut.

But how fast can you say "arbitrary and capricious" BOE/district admin curriculum decision-making? And yes, it certainly does have very serious unfavorable legal implications for the district.

Also note how flimsy the reason cited by Ingerman & Smith is (IMO) for not reinstating arts. That same silly reason would apply to golf.

Attachments:

[Chris_Wendt]

Lilly

As stated above:

"Governing our school district demands both consistency and fairness in all matters."

You have now provided the legal documentation which should serve as the touchstone for consistency for the school board concerning fundraising for the Golf Team.

They next need to find a new law firm.

Chris Wendt