Seattle schools must cut pay or not buy textbooks

[n2doc]

BY SARA KIESLER, SPECIAL TO SEATTLEPI.COM
Published 02:45 p.m., Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Forced to cut $45 million from its budget, Seattle Public Schools and the teachers union need to agree on salary reductions or textbooks may not be bought this year, district staffers say.
The levy voters approved in November included about $5.9 million for textbooks this year and next year, said Duggan Harman, the district's executive finance director.
However, the school district must make up for an additional $4 million in cuts by the state this year, and if the salary reductions don't close it, the textbook funds may be among those that will.
"The money has to come from some place. The state has definitely cut our funding and basically told us they want to see salary reductions," said School Board President Steve Sundquist. "Not purchasing textbooks is one of the places the school district could consider taking that money if we're not able to reach an agreement."


Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Seattle-schools-must-cut-pay-or-not-buy-new-1455108.php

[BadgerKid]

1. Wonder if they could use e-textbooks.

I believe they are starting to be used, and having the country switch to them would help out budgets. The publishers probably wouldn't like losing their cash cow, though.

[Book Lover]

4. Um, publishers make the etextbooks as well (nm)

[MichiganVote]

2. Bet they don't cut athletics tho'

[MouseFitzgerald]

3. Because its totally reasonable for kids to go to school

and not have textbooks to learn from. Honestly, why dont they just close down all the public schools. If this deficit is such a big deal that we need fix it on the backs of young students who have done nothing wrong, why dont you just close the schools. Obviously a $4 million deficit is a bigger problem than kids not being well educated so who cares, just close them. It will absolutely fix the deficit, and apparently kids not getting a proper education isn't a problem to these people so screw the schools.

[FBaggins]

5. Do they even have the option?

If voters approved an added levy to pay for textbooks, how can that be spent on anything but textbooks?