BIGGER BUILDINGS, BIGGER CLASS SIZES … FEWER TEACHERS, LESS INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION
The taxpayer-funded education establishment in Horry County, S.C. is building a bunch of new schools – spending top dollar on it new facilities with an out-of-state firm that prides itself on “green technology.” In fact they recently took the (very) high bid of $240 million to construct five new “energy efficient” schools – ignoring the advice of a consultant they paid $40,000 to guide them as to their facilities expansion needs.
Sheesh … no wonder this project is already $70 million above the district’s original cost estimate.
Anyway, the winning bidder is an out-of-state firm that’s promising the district all sorts of energy savings – although we have yet to see any guarantee of those efficiencies. According to our sources, the winning bidder – First Floor Energy Positive of Raleigh, N.C. – is known for making big boasts on this front, although the jury is still out regarding their results.
Of interest? At the same time district leaders are looking to dramatically ramp up spending on facilities they’re trying to raise class sizes – which would enable them to eliminate more than forty teaching positions.
That’s right … the district is looking to save $3 million a year by cutting 41 teaching positions.
Maybe more …
Of course fewer teachers and bigger class sizes means even less individualized attention than these students are already receiving … which isn’t much. But hey … at least the district will have a bunch of shiny new buildings.
Ah yes, South Carolina’s “for the children” racket – which has consistently produced some of the worst academic outcomes in the entire nation – certainly seems to be alive and well.
27 comments
LEED never pays the checks it writes. Another lib hoax like clean diesel VWs and safe food at Chipoltle
Don’t leave out female Viagra.
Even the expenditures for government facilities have to adhere to the rules of “unbridled political spending.”
It is buildings that are going to be used for nine months of the year, five days of the week, eight hours a day. Cheaper digs would have been sufficient. The cost of educational facilities does not translate to better educated kids.
These buildings will used as the training ground while the educational system indoctrinates these young juveniles into the world of political correctness, left wing politics, and the social and moral mores that their parents refuse to teach them.
“It is buildings that are going to be used for nine months of the year, five days of the week, eight hours a day.”
The fact that you believe that shows what a simpleton you are.
How much taxpayer money goes to our k-12 online tuition free charter school business?
And, what’s its graduation rate?
And, does it even keep track of who’s enrolled and participating or violating SC law about school attendance?
Very little money. Don’t try to change the subject.
Spend money on teachers, not buildings, and we will have better citizens.
“Of course fewer teachers and bigger class sizes means even less individualized attention ….”
Unconventional Wisdom
Individualized attention is over rated. It usually means teachers doing student’s work and students not taking responsibility for themselves.
Bible Thumper is always for covet spending in education, unless it is for the students.
I’m for paying the students, not the teachers. $100 for an “A”. “D” – No cell phone. Thumper is all for the students.
Word on the street in in Horry County is that favors were exchanged and an out of state contractor is making off with millions. I hear SLED may be investigating. I hope so.
It is a heck of a lot easier to build a building than teach a student.
It is a heck of a lot better to have rich builders as friends than middle class parents.
It is a heck of a lot easier to rob a school system than a bank.
Well said. To hell with the big spenders. The taxpayers need to rise up and say no!
The other day I was faced again with a question that I have heard since childhood
Is giving birth more painful than getting kicked in the nuts?
Women have always maintained that giving birth is way more painful than a guy getting kicked in the nuts, but how could they “know”?
Well, after another beer or two or three, and some more heavy deductive thinking, I came up with an answer to that question.
Getting kicked in the nuts is more painful than having a baby, and even though I obviously couldn’t really “know”, here is the reasoning for my conclusion.
A year or so after giving birth, women will often say,”It might be nice to have another child.”
On the other hand, you never hear a guy say, “You know, I think I would like another kick in the nuts.”
I rest my case. Time for another beer
QED
Ummmm…Kemosabe…tell Tonto again—why IS it that SC has 105 school districts but only 46 counties?
Well, Tonto—good question don’tcha know—districts are created by SC legislators—sorta SC’s Canadian Mounties
But Kemosabe—Tonto understand Mounties always “get their man”—that true for the ones in the Palmetto State?
Why yes, Tonto—it IS don’tcha know—but now the outcome of what they get is consistently…NOT great
You see when NC and GA kicked payday out for gouging consumers—SC legislators did something not funny
They told payday—yo—bring your usurious industry here because you know we’re pigs for lobbyist money
Then they “reformed” payday by doubling the size of payday loans and as to interest—they said NO limit
In their glitterdome of corruption they’re a disgrace—a shining jewel of greed with nothing to dim it
So…as to Horry County—well they just elected Mark-Sure-I-Left-My-Wife-And-Four-Sons-Sanford himself
He typifies the district trustees—the county’s legislative delegation—yep–self-serving Lilliputian elfs
So…while Horry County may have Myrtle Beach’s drug trade and the best school buildings in the whole state
In 2016…that long Tea Train will roll over the flag-ripping, payday-grubbing legislature—and that WILL be great !!!
Recall the big spending school board members.
Teachers are far more important that buildings. Spend less on schools, more on teachers and SC will be a better place.
Recall them! Vote them out! Send the message to stop spending money!
There ought to be a state or county law that prohibits the School Board from wasting money. To pass over two qualified builders with decades of experience to go with a young, out of state firm at tens of millions more is outrageous!
Is it legal to go with the high bidder?
Ought to be!
There should be more to the process than just the numbers. History of the contractors, Will they use local labor and subs, etc. Locally we had a sidewalk project that was paid for by the one cent stupid tax to make more local jobs and “enrich” our community. The winning company was from out of state,brought in illegals to save money. The only local co. that had anything to do with the job was the local concrete company. Real govt. looking out for the folks. LOL
I smell a rat. Check the bank account of the Board!
How are we ever going to have quality education in SC as long as we have school boards like this Horry County group of big spenders? We must do better.
Our school board could care less about what we care. I have attended several meetings and they are unimpressed with any issue or comment brought forward by a citizen.
Spend, spend and spend some more should be their motto. Spending first, education second.
The real issue is Santee Cooper.
The school board plans to install solar panels to hopefully generate surplus energy they can sell back to SC and offset other energy costs.
SC is changing their billing to charge a higher rate to solar power equipped customers and to only pay them the wholesale rate for surplus energy.
The school board may not even achieve “net zero” energy consumption on these new schools much less a credit to be applied to other schools or offices.
Why is Santee Cooper trying so hard to make it more costly for consumers and businesses to go solar?
Santee Cooper has other concerns rather than the very, very small issue of buying tiny amounts of solar energy created by a school.
the school board should invest in what it knows and what it can do. Investing in pie in the sky ideas is not prudent.
There should be three school designs. Small , medium and large. With each upgradeable to the next. These “great engineering feats” are a waste of money that the taxpayers should not have to pay for. The money saved could be used for actually teaching children. WOW what a concept.
This woman, as well as the writer of this article, are insane. A match made in heaven…..