Perhaps the teachers should start paying for their health care, including the retirees!

People should read Rep. Brett Davis' column on virtual schools. Perhaps, this is the solution, just create one huge virtual school. It would only cost about one-half of what we pay for regular classroom instruction. Seriously, read it and decide for yourself!

"The alternative: Spend the district’s fund balance and go bankrupt"
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Wow, never ran a business before have they. This is a major problem with offices that use public funds.

For all the whining and misdirection, still no justification for increasing retirement benefits at the expense of school programs. Probably because it's unjustifiable.

I think the one of the biggest problems with this referendum is your superintendent. The approach he took. He tried to bully, scare, and threaten people, intimidate them into voting his way. IT backfired. Orfordville is looking at a referendum this spring. They did not start out by making threats. I hope there's does pass. They laid out their plan very clearly. They did not threaten. But you have a dufus for a Superintendent, and he handled this very badly.

Kinsohn
Our little town continues to be blessed with your infinite wisdom. How someone from Indiana can be so passionate about Brodhead's referendum is truly amazing. You escaped our "tax h-ll" of a state to follow your work,correct me if I am wrong,the health insurance industry, nuff said. You would think, that someone who spent 8 years on Whitewater's school board would have a bit of insight into what this board is going through. You must have made more than one trip back to our great State of Wisconsin to sit in on our board's meeting's to see that $200,000 has been cut from our budget over the past few years. You would not have to badger(pun intended)Max on teacher benefits, surely you would know from your school board days. Teachers that, you have mentioned in the same sentence as meatpackers, because they are union. You see, in this country we have the freedom of choice, of opportunity to become whatever we choose. You had the same freedom to have the same benefits that our teachers enjoy. However, you chose a different career, obviously. Why bash someone who chooses to educate our children whose job just happens to enjoy good benefits. Do they deserve to be likened to meatpackers? Certainly, everyone has their right to freedom of speech, just not sure if it should be happening on company time, and you talk about unions? Maybe,instead of showing us your arrogance by craming your ideology down our throats, you should be sharing your wisdom with your community, your schools in Indiana, and worrying about the teachers benefits in your district. There is little you can do for ours. I can only wonder how you can drink your kool-aid with that silver spoon in your mouth.

Bonzai

We must increase retirement benefits with every new contract at the cost of children's programs because we'll be sued if we don't.

We have to give up to $100k in retirement health benefits and increase them 10-20% yearly - at the expense of children's instruction - because they're not dimwits like the rest of us who don't get those benefits.

Got it.

The problem with trying to bust benefits is that eventually you will pay more when it goes to court and you lose. Then where will you be. Paying benefits, courts costs and still no extra-curricular activities. Please try to think these things through.

Also, I have to laugh when people question paying educated people more. I have worked with dimwits and educated people: dimwits can't do anything without being told what to do and are a burden on an employee because they have to be monitored.

Virtual schools will only be practical when repairing a computer is cheap and easy. Until then good luck with that.

Cutting children's programs to fund outrageous retirement benefits in Brodhead is OK because the U.S. Corporate tax rate is only the second highest in the developed world.

People in private enterprise embezzle money and are dishonest, but people in government are not.

Got it.

The following is a great example of private enterprise(thinking" outside of the box"), that can, and has, happened way to often.
Milwaukee Voucher School Principal Charged with Felony Theft

The founder and principal of a Milwaukee voucher school, Mandella School of Science and Math, is being charged with felony theft for cashing more than 200 checks issued by the state Department of Public Instruction for families whose children never enrolled at the school.

According to the criminal complaint filed Thursday (July 1, 2004) in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, David Seppeh stole approximately $330,000 in state funds. He allegedly used a portion of the money to buy two Mercedes-Benz cars.

If convicted, Seppeh faces up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $25,000.

A Milwaukee judge ordered the school closed in February after evidence of financial mismanagement surfaced, thanks in part to a series of articles published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The newspaper reported Seppeh's mismanagement of the state voucher payments, Mandella teachers' claims that their paychecks were late or never arrived, and that a school bus company claimed the school owed it nearly $100,000. The Journal Sentinel also reported that the state has filed eight tax warrants against Seppeh in the last eight years. A garnishment notice filed this fall claimed he owed $171,000 in taxes.

Mandella is one of several Milwaukee voucher schools that has been in trouble with the law recently. Last year, Alex's Academics of Excellence was evicted for failure to pay rent even though it received $2.8 million from the state. The school's chief executive officer, James Mitchell, a convicted rapist, allegedly mismanaged the school's funds and allowed his employees to use drugs on school grounds.

Another former voucher school official, Adrian Hipp of Exito High School, was found guilty of falsifying records that resulted in state overpayments to the school of $42,000.

"The money that these unaccountable schools are pilfering from the state could be used productively in cash-strapped Milwaukee Public Schools to better educate the city's children," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. "That is money that could be used in a system that is thoroughly monitored and fully accountable for the money it spends. It could be used in our public school system to help create a great school for every child."

Resource page on private school vouchers

Kinsohn
I would just ask if any of the outrage against teacher retirement pay is shared by you about the outrageous tax breaks that corp. and the super wealthy have been getting all these years. I would much prefer that my tax money go to pay a good wage and retirement to the people that are in charge of educating the future of our country, than to the already rich that set up corp. mailboxes offshore to avoid paying ANY taxes to support this country. Do I hear any outrage? It's always easier to jump on the neighbor across the street that has worked their way thru college, bargained for a good wage and now can actually to afford to live a decent lifestyle, while we work for a probably non-union co. making subsistence wages and having to be very careful that you don't say anything to cause your boss to just fire you, as many did before the advent of unions and many still do today.
No organization is perfect, but I challenge anyone to show how unions have not provided most of the things that we take for granted in todays world, whether one belongs to a union or not. Things like the 40hr. week, o.t. pay, paid vacations, holidays-with pay,child labor laws, unemployment compensation, etc., etc.. The history of the labor movement is really not taught in the schools, so how things used to be and how they got to be the way they are now is cloaked in fog. These things didn't come from the bleeding heart of corp. but from the all too often actual blood of folks fighting for a little economic justice. If you are not happy with your current share of the pie-join a union or help start one-don't try to get rid of one of the most powerful forces for economic justice in the world.

A full day has gone by and still no posting of the district's health retirement benefits in spite of Max's first hand knowledge.

Why? As I said, the district and union don't want you to know: they want you to pass the referendum to save their retirement benefits. If you don't, they'll cut extracurriculars instead of freezing the outrageous benefits. Sad.

Whythink
Your comments of Feb. 19,11:57 and 1:08 are short and right to the point-brevity is the soul of wit and facts are the brains!
See-I also can be brief!

Blood
I totally agree that we need to change the way we fund education in the state and in the country-see my comment of feb. 19 @ 10:56 a.m..
As I read all the comments about this issue it strikes me that too many folks(Hank, you may be one of these, correct me if I am wrong), do not see the true picture of what is causing the tax burden on the middle class, as I see it.
Taxes on corp. and the wealthy have been steadily reduced over the last 30 or so years-all with the logic that we were trying to free up the wealth of the country to provide for the vast expansion of jobs and well being for the majority of our citizens. The same argument has been used to reduce regulation and inspection of industries. Do we see any connection between the savings and loan crisis of the 80s, and our current, much worse, financial crisis, and the removal of govt. regs.? Do we see any connection between bad peanut butter, poisoned toothpaste allowed in from China, etc. and our reduced inspection of food, etc.? Any connection at all? Of course we, or somebody(the rich?), saved a bundle of tax money that would have gone to better regulation and inspection. Our tax rates back in the 50s and 60s went to as high as 90% on the top parts of ones' income-if you made in the millions. We seem to have had the largest expansion of the middle class under this taxation, that we have ever seen in this country. Now that we have "freed up" the corp. in both tax "burden" and "overregulation" we have achieved the widest gap between rich and poor that we have seen since before the great depression. Of course someone still has to pay the bill for all the stuff that we need and want-schools, bridges, snow removal, the largest(by very, very far), military in the world, etc.. Just who do you (Hank, and other tax revolters), think might be paying the taxes for the absentee superwealthy ?
As we fight amongst ourselves over how to just maintain the educational system that we have had for many, many years, the real truth behind our problems never gets discussed. It is so much easier to point to the "overpaid" teachers, and somehow uncaring school board and ones neighbors, like Peggy Olson, that has nothing better or more exciting to do than to attend each school board meeting and then be held up as a dark villain by people that may have never attended even one of those "thrilling " school board events.
I think that it is great to have this type of forum to exchange ideas on. Words spoken face to face can often create more heat than light whereas when you put stuff down in writing it requires a little more thought.
Allan Greenspan, the guru of "let the free market take care of everything" finally admitted, to his credit, that he was wrong. Now we pay the price. Have we learned anything or should we just keep worrying about paying teachers too much and let the rich escape their responsibilities?

The problem with schools is three fold. First, energy costs are unstable and sudden rises disrupt budgets, and operationally they still have to be heated and cooled even when no one is there. Second, infrastructure problems pop up like roofs that have to be replaced but no one wants to pay for it. Thirdly, there is little incentive for administrators to be efficient or proactive. Whenever there is a problem, they let go teachers or cut popular extra-curricular activities. I have never seen a proactive approach from an administrator which looks at these problems in advance in a thoughtful and reasoned manner. Their solution is to run and re-run and re-run referendums until they win, which teaches children a valuable lesson about democracy: manipulate it until you get your way.

Look, you can't just think of the kids or parents you also have to think of the retirees who live on fixed incomes. Every time you raise taxes, you lower their incomes at a time when they are most vulnerable. They don't care about percentages of what go where because their income is going down.

Hank
Feb 19, 2010 at 9:25 p.m.
Suggest removal HoopsFan
School is 75% or more a baby sitting service for people with children than educating them. Sad but that is what it is.
*We have special schools for children that do not want to go to school so the cause trouble.
* We have a whole sector of the budget set up for activities that do not grow the knowledge base.
*The method of teaching has not change sense the stone age.
*** Face it our system of education does not work, and the Nation is going bankrupt over things that do not work.
I feel it is time to think outside the box.
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That is the most uniformed, ignorant and insulting statement anyone could make. You have NO CLUE what you are talking about. Teachers use many different methods than what was used a decade ago. Try attending a quality classroom or sign-up for a Master's level education class at UWW.
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Anyone who believes that education is similar to "babysitting" is an idiot on the subject of public education. There is no other way to say it...you simply aren't educated.
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NOW, are there teachers who babysit...sure but that is not what present day Best Practice requires. Unfortunately, LIKE EVERY JOB IN THE WORLD some people don't use best practice.

The logical thing to do - reduce the number of teachers, support staff, and administrators. It's a no brainer.

Then Hank, if you're going to run for office, maybe you should tell us all your real name instead of hiding behind the annonymity of the internet. After all, you seem to have all the right ideas to fix everything, especially here in Janesville...

Hank-
You seem to have a lot of ideas about what is wrong with the system and how to fix it. Don't just talk about it. Do something about it. Go to school to become a teacher or administrator or become a member of the school board or better yet, run for office. Real change comes from doing, not just complaining!

Votaloca, Illinois kids and some other states' kids only have to go to school until 16. I think this was put in place because kids can be trouble if they dont want to be in school when they are 17 and 18. That just means theyre trouble on the streets.
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Babysitting service v. country club v. educational facility = comment made by a public school/government hater. I know several people who are teachers and coaches and sports officials/referees and they arent in it to get rich. They do it because they love working with kids. Clearly you dont associate with these types.

I guess I should have put quotes around what you said, the start of the second line is the previous quote...

Your babblings don't justify a response...

No one ever said the costs went up $100k per employee - I said the costs were $50-$100k per employee

Is there really a difference there?
I'll buy $50 but not 100k. Do you realize a k = one thousand dollars making 100k, $100,000?

Regardless of what you are saying, the referendum is going back on, and because of teachers and administration taking the cut, the referendum will be a 3 year, and the cost will be a cumulative of less than $300, with the mill rate and school tax actually going down next year. Thank you teachers and administration!

FYI for Brodhead financials. Follow this link: https://www2.dpi.state.wi.us/safr_ro/. Find Brodhead, click on it, go to:"financial data home" click, then "Budget report" click,then you can open 2008-2009 year. ('09-'10 won't open yet). Then click on "All Accounts" All revenue & expenses are listed with amounts.

No one ever said the costs went up $100k per employee - I said the costs were $50-$100k per employee and rising 10-20% per year. I noticed you took no exception to that contention.

You sure do busy yourself countering facts that were never put forth. To clear the air, how about you just tell everyone what the average retirement health benefit is at Brodhead, how much the district spends on them every year, and how much they're going up?

Of course, this won't happen, because the District and Union doesn't want anyone to know. If people did know, they'd see the depravity of continuing to increase these benefits at those rates while simultaneously saying the district had no choice but to cut extracurriculars.

As reported by ABC tonight, 8 states are toying with this idea.

We need to make high school a 2 year thing. Do we really need 11th and 12th grades?

Hey 'know', I am pretty sure youre living in the 1970s if you think total packages for superintendants and principals of $100,000+ is outrageous. Its the going rate, go check out the wisconsin state public instruction website if you think otherwise. Im guessing there is some jealousy about people making more than you but it is what it is.
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Also you other posters you need to keep dreaming if you think Florida schools virtual schools model is a winner. Bigtime joke there as are most vitual schools in the USA.

know: Compare salaries and benefits with surrounding schools. This is the going rate. Administrators went to school and got their master degree so that they could make salaries like this. Not everyone is always going to agree what people make, but this is just the way it is.
The board has made the cuts; $200K for 6 years without affecting the levels of education. Any more cuts will affect education. Cutting administrators will have an affect on education. Not trying to be rude, just stating my opinion.

First of all, how many years of education does it take to be a school district administrator? Or a principal? Secondly, what kind of administrator would like to have for your community's schools, the cheapest or the best? If you brow-beat your administrator because of the realistic cost of educating your community's children good luck finding another administrator after you run this one out of town! Finally, no one commenting on this blog has a comment on separating school funding from property taxes? It shows that most people are more interested in complaining about problems than solving them!!!

3 principals, each with a package of over $100,000 with continuous increases every year.
(what happened: the school board said they have been making cuts for how many year now?)
Superintendent Deery: on 2008: salary of $109,899 and fringes of $43,681 = $153,580
in 2009: salary $117,801 and fringes $42,380 = $160,181 Total increases just keep on going and have not stopped. The board said they do not want to cut their pay. The adm are only willing to freeze pay NEXT year only. Hello, can anyone add out there. ALL people support our children, yet the yes voters are VERY rude to no voters, why is that. I cannot believe that the yes voters OK anything the board does, even if they are not listening to the majority democratic process which took place. It is scary that most of those yes voters are willing to just pay with out requesting more trimming from the top. (do businesses operate like that)

That is great then. My potential start up cost concern was over parents and families who may not have that at home. But bring it up to the school board, even in a letter or e-mail, they would love all suggestions.

Hank, not a bad idea. Bring it up to the school board and see what happens. Sounds like a large initial start-up cost, but potentially a big saver long term. As the board has said over and over again, all ideas are welcome.

Lets see Monroe is getting a new super center. Broadhead lost Stoughton Trailers. Monroe and Albany has not had the lost like Broadhead. Lets look at the big picture first. Anybody going to another school has to sit out his or her first year. Please contact WIAA on this they have to rule on each one. They don't let them jump school so they can play sports unless they move into the district.

UW-GB probably wouldn't mind him getting exposed to a higher division of competition either, haha.

I don't think kinsohn understands finances, so I wouldn't even try to explain to that person.

Monroe passed a much bigger referrendum than this one a few years ago for the same reasons, but it brought the community together instead of dividing it. We passed it with about a 65 to 35 vote, an overwhelming win. People in that community understand the word "community" and do not sit on blogs all day blasting Board members, administrators, teachers, all while citing conspiracy theories. The more I read about this issue in Brodhead, the more I realize how nasty some of the people there are. If I am a betting man, I would bet anything the second referrendum is gonna run full steam into the same haters that it did the first time. Blame the funding system at the State level, not the people in the community trying to keep education where it should be. Your taxes and mill rate down there are way lower than they are here or in Albany or most other towns who have already done a referrendum. Shame on you haters. Although many of us would like to see that Panoske kid in a Cheesemaker uniform next year. :P

If you haven't noticed my questions are mostly mocking this fact of yours. Do you realize that if this 100K cost increase per employee were true, the district would pay nearly 10 mil every year, just in these health retirement benefits. We have a total budget of just over 11 million, riddle me that?

No, that is not my claim. Total costs go up by 10-20% per year. You sure have a lot of questions for someone with first-hand knowledge of the situation.

so each employee's retirement health benefits goes up $100K every year? This is your claim?

Evidently, I have more first-hand knowledge and am less confused, as I know that they go up by that every year because they guarantee years of coverage and the costs are per employee.

Hope that clarifies your first-hand confusion.

Has any body seen the news about the company up in Fond du lac? They needs tax help employees to give back wages, or they were going to move South. Now TMJ4 out of Milwaukee is reporting that management is getting huge bonus. So don't trust any body today who wants to raise are taxes.

Maybe you should call them up and ask, or ask again, because I have some first hand knowledge, that health retirement benefits don't go up that every year. By your numbers these packages increase over $100K every year? Is that per teacher or administrator? Or for the whole staff? I'm confused at what you think you are reporting.

Quite sure. Call 'em up and ask. 897-2141. It's a dirty little secret the unions never talk about while they accuse others of greed.

That would be the easy option. However, I hope Brodhead as a community will come together and realize that we are better than that. We need to stay positive and inform the people who want to become informed. The sad reality is that there are a number of people who, regardless of the countless facts you tell them, are not going to be convinced, and believe that everyone is out to get them, and act selfishly. But you can't win them all, so all those in favor of the referendum need to do the best they can to influence friends, relatives and neighbors, that voting yes is the only way to save the community.

Its easy to hide behind "teachers make too much money" or "cut the administration" or "Board should be removed" or "<insert negative comment here>" all because the economy is tough and people do not want to check the 'yes' box because it means money out of their own pocket. Let's face it: the economy is not great, and people will always self-preserve and act selfishly. Most posts I've read on this subject are from citizens who could care less that class sizes will go up, curriculum instructor gets cut, etc, if it means it doesnt cost them a dime. This is the world we live in. I wouldn't expect Broadhead's next referendum to pass because tax payers in that community based on what i've read on these blogs simply don't care, above all else. My suggestion to you all in Broadhead: move to a less negative community like Monroe.

kinsohn: are you sure your numbers are correct, those percentages sound a bit outrageous. And what interest does the school board have in fattening retirement? Its not their retirement. I'm pretty sure the school board would rather see quality education, than fat retirement packages.

If I were of a different ilk, I would say that getting 10-20% increases every year in health retirement benefit packages that total up to $100k or more would constitute greed.

Instead, I'll just say union interests are profiting at the expense of our children's education, and that corporate interests like the school board are more interested in fattening retirement packages than educating our children.

Did someone really suggest we take Florida's lead in education? rofl.

If you have a constitutional way to get rid of the dead weight teachers we'd love to hear it. I agree there are some teachers that don't do as effective of a job as they should, but it is near impossible to document this and get rid of them.

whythink

There are wonderful and effective teachers out there who pour their hearts out to educate our children who should be compensated accordingly. But believe me, there are also deadweight teachers out there who use the "it's for the kids mentality" that keep sucking the taxpayer to death in their quest to bloat their salaries and benefits when many in the the private sector have compromised a raise or reduced their benefits in an effort to keep their jobs.

Kinsohn,
Yeah, it sucks when professional educators are paid (salary + benefits) similar to most teachers in the state.
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Heaven forbid teachers make a living raising & educating "your" kids.

Yet, you didn't get to vote on the police and fire station, or the new fire truck or anything the city buys. They just do it, and you are stuck with the tab. The education of this community is the most important part in my point of view, and the board is who has to beg for money, just to keep the status-quo for the school district.

I think it's terrible that the school district has decided to sacrifice extra-curriculars in order to continue with huge increases to employee health retirement benefits, which range from $50-$100k per employee after as little as 10 years.

Typical Brodhead - if the voters say "No" to something, they just have another referendum and keep doing it until they get what they want! That is why over the past several years we have been stuck paying for a new police station, fire station, middle school, track upgrades, library, etc. Unfortunately, we have not been blessed with more businesses, jobs and so on. Just more taxes, fees etc

Hank, I agree that people can't pay the taxes they paid in the 90's, but these Caps were not intended to still be here 17 years later. It is a combination of both, but I can't understand how anyone justifies putting the blame on the school board with all the work they do and have done. It is a thankless position and they do a wonderful job. This referendum is certainly not their fault.

Hank,
Yet the richer keep getting RICHER! The system is working for them.
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It is the middle class that has been and continues to get SCREWED by both political parties. neither cares about the middle class and as a country our priorities SUCK!
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War in Iraq...NO PROBLEM! Gitmo, NO PROBLEM! Fix a roof on a school...How dare you ask me to pay for THAT! This goes both ways...high speed rail, etc...
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Both parties are horrible and that is why so many are retiring early.
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The partisanship is working for only the rich and the politicans. People are so focused with the D and R they fail to realize what is really happening.

lakennedy: Brodhead, and many other districts have found themselves in this position over the last 5-10 years because of state imposed revenue caps. State caps were put in place in 1993 as a temporary measure that limited the amount schools received to 2.5% per year. Since then however, those caps are still in place, and now costs are increasing at nearly a 4% rate, while the revenue cap is still at 2.5%. It was bound to happen and it is a state problem, that has created numerous local situations. Over the last 6 years the school board has cut roughly $200K a year in trying to hold off this referendum as long as possible.

I haven't followed this as closely as I should have...I'm wondering does anyone know how Brodhead's schools got to this point financially?

Money is not the problem in America it is the method.
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Agreed!
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It is the method of how that money is gathered and distributed. Do you realize, as of 2005, our schools are just as segregated as during the 1950's?
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The rich communities get richer and poor get their low test scores on the front page of the newspaper.
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Equality needs to start with a better method of distributing funds.
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Oh and BTW, look at what other nation's do regarding education. Talk about lack of freedom, YIKES! And what of the disabled kids? Most likely not educated at all.
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Because of our freedoms and standards we have a more difficult task than many of those that score ahead of us. If our goals wasn't to educate every child our methods would work just fine.
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How much of that money is spent on educating children with disabilities? How many other countries spend money on that?

Evidently the school board needs to go back to school. When a child does not get the answer they want from one parent they will go to the other one to get the answer they want. Obviously the members of the Brodhead School Board have forgotten the definition of the word "NO".

The current method of financing education pits the young against the old/retired instead of being progressive and based on income. Also the financing of our children's education should not depend on the income or make up of a particular city or area, but should be the best that we can provide-wherever you live. There was a proposed bill in the state legislature back in the 70s, as I recall, that would have taken the cost of education off of the property tax and transferred it to the state income tax. This bill had good traction until it was violently attacked by the Republicans in the state legislature as somehow being an increase in taxation and scared off the public-who had supported it previously . It is past time to take another look at how we finance our school systems.
When times are good, it is easier to put up with poor systems of financing things-when times are like they are now it is not unusual for groups of people to start attacking each other on economic issues. Teachers did not create the economic meltdown we are in today-Wall street, anti government regulation/taxation corporations are the ones that need to be brought under control and also made to pay their fair share of taxes, which even billionaire Warren Buffet agrees he is not paying. It is time for us to turn around and look at who is hitting us in the head with a 2x4-it is not your childs'/grandchilds' teacher or school board member-it has been and still is the same crowd that did us in in 1929-greedy and powerful corporations that have pretty much bought enough members of congress to get their own way. This is not just a local Brodhead issue-it is a national problem which we better start dealing with instead of cutting back on our childrens' education. How about cutting back on the superprofits of the international megacorporations-maybe they could give a little back to the country before we become a country of idiots. Try writing a letter to Exon Mobil or Enron(oh, that's right ,they lied and cheated themselves out of business), maybe some of these guys can help out their fellow Americans in this time of trouble.
Taxes has been made to be a dirty word, yet if we don't pay for things that we want and need, we will not have them, bridges that don't fall down while you drive over them, schools that don't have to stop having programs that have been a part of our education forever, snow removal when it is needed-you name it, someone must pay. The portion of that "someone" has become much more the middle class to the exclusion of the wealthy/corporate class. Bad choice I think.

whythink -

I guess you don't understand what I mean about a community's identity.

Sports and all other extra activities are something that is visable in the community and something everyone - whether they have kids or not - can rally around. Everyone in town can take part in the homecoming parade, everyone in town can take pride when the school softball team goes to state. An no its not just sports, Show Choir is obviously very big in Brodhead and again a source of that pride.

Other cuts simply aren't as visable, and are much harder to relate to people who don't have kids in school. A difference of 20 kids to 25 kids in a class just doesn't sound like as big of a deal to a lot of people.

I'm not saying that's how things should be. In a perfect world, math scores would be more important than football scores, but this is the real world, not the perfect world and sports and activities are just more visable than academics and the school board knows this.

Its also a fact that the school board isn't proposing nearly the draconian cuts of "everything" elsewhere in their proposal. If instead of cutting 3 teachers, they said we're cutting social studies from the curriculum or we're just going to cut out the 3rd grade, people wouldn't believe that either. If the board had said we're going to cut 3 sports/activities, instead of all sports, you'd be seeing a far different reaction.

usingthebrain,
You said, "Cutting sports in a small town is an attempt to cut a big part of the community's identity."
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Why isn't cutting 8 teachers, music, art, administration, increasing the size of classes, EVERYTHING BUT SPORTS a "big part of the community's identity."
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That is the backwards part IMO. Nobody believes the sports will really be cut nor do they seemed to concerned about the 8 teachers, etc...
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I find that concerning.

Hank, you ever hear the phrase it takes a village to raise a kid? Its true parents need to be more involved and believe me I am very involved with my child but I do depend on after school activites for my child, as well as church activites and community activities. SO dont give me thirs crap that kids wont be walking the streets or making more gang problems without after school activities. Its not like there are plenty of jobs around for the kids to go to work so what would you suggest they do with their free time??? Oh lets see play more video games or watch TV! How stupid. We lead very active lives and as a parent I am very involved on the board of our sports club as well as we are part of a local gym, go to church, do church activites and my child plays on a community Basketbal team not through our school but another one as well as Volunteers his time referring at the YMCA. If I didnt depend on my village to help entertain my son and help him grow and learn how to work as a team he would be one of the kids with nothng to do but get involved into crime and other illegal activites because I didnt care. Give me a break!

At one of my school meetings in another district we discussed Brodheads issues and believe me they better take these threats seriously. When the school has a defict there are going to be cuts and the extra activites are the ones that will be cut first unless the parents chose to fork over more money to save it. Check out other districts and their fee schedules. I have and parents pay alot more for the activites then around here. We are very lucky to only pay $40 per sport and $25 for clubs. Its worth it to the children in the long run.

Hank do you even have any kids in school? Bet not!

What more does the people of Brodhead need to know before they think this is serious and not an idle threat. The district is facing a $400,000 bodget shortfall. All extra curicular costs the district $200,000. by cutting sports and other activities leave the deficit only $200,000. where they need to cut the actual education pieces. Would we want our board to say ok we are going to keep all sports and activities BUT somewhere we are going to have to find 400,000. dollars to cut in way of of education. How responsible would that be, Hey kids you can have football but you'll have 1 history or 1 math course cuz we need to cut teachers.
AS for the stupid comment of OH the sports boosters will kick in. PLEASE this group is a small parent organization whose sole income is foodstands at football games, spring sports,two tournaments in the summer and Chicken BBQs. At most they raise $10,000 to $15,000 per year. They make either one big purchase or multiple medium purchases for the various sports that are not in the budget. Once the $ is spent it is time to start the football foodstand and start all over again. Previous years big purchases include:
Donation to New Band Uniforms
Wrestling mat
weightroom equipment
reseeding and surfacing the softball field.
That's it what comes in goes out! no way they can support 200,000 dollars a year for sports.
My suggestion is get involved and get informed before opening your mouth.

Not to change the subject or take attention away from the Brodhead situation, but this is a great time to talk about ending the tie between school funding and property taxes. For decades politicians have TALKED about finding a different way to fund schools, but they have done nothing to change it. So we continue to use property taxes to fund education; pitting seniors against teachers, homeowners against quality education. Who loses? The students and the community!!! Brodhead is a great example of that. Last count there are over $1 billion dollars in sales tax exemptions that would pay for the whole educational system if they were eliminated. Special interest groups in Madison fight for these exemptions for their clients and it is wrong. Let this negative situation in Brodhead spark the voters to demand a change in school funding! Call your legislator and demand we end special interest sales tax exemptions and use that money to fund our schools therefore eliminating the need for referendums to pay for school costs. The time has come, it is truly long past, that we stop pitting these groups against each other.

Brodhead has a great school district. Up until now it has been one of the best around. We moved from the Janesville district so my son could go to Brodhead. They offer several AP classes. He saved a lot of money when he went on to MATC and already had credits for some of his generals. They have talented teachers in the art and music areas. The sports teams can keep up with the best. We have kids that open enroll into our district just because we have quality programs and a caring community that offers more scholarships than any around. Thats why it was so hard to see this voted down. Brodhead has always been very kid oriented and the school has been an important part of the community. Nobody likes referendums. The school districts don't want to have to go to the communities for money. Its a no win deal. If it passes we pay more taxes. If it doesn't pass, the kids pay. When we built the new high school we built a building that could house more students in case Juda or Albany districts closed. We had a community that cared enough about the kids that they supported a new school. So we are not a little "bumpkin" school out in the sticks. We are a pretty cool district having a hard time of it right now.

Jnsvlteacher - I understand what you are saying, and I'm not opposed to voting yes to a referendum under the right circumstances.

The problem is that its very hard to seriously believe that the school board has really done all it can with its current funds when they are doing something that is so obviously blackmail.

Cutting sports in a small town is an attempt to cut a big part of the community's identity. Its the thing that grabs headlines and when it fails, you see even more headlines that without sports, hundreds of kids are going to open enroll (perfectly setting up another vote less than 2 months later to keep that from happening). Its the nuclear option, yet when no other districts actually make this cut, it can't be believed as a serious option. And when the board isn't presenting voters with a serious look at what's at stake, they shouldn't be surprised when voters tell them No.

Blood, thank you for at least trying and I'm sure you are correct. However, I'm talking about making cuts under the current economic formula and situation.

There have been 29 failed referendums for exceeding revenue caps in Wisconsin just since the start of last year. There have been 163 failed referendums since 2005. So how is Brodhead so bad off that they have to kill all sports, when every other school finds a way to save them?

Using-

Ok, I have no information to share about a school district actually following through on their promise to cut sports and/or extra-curriculuar activities. But, that honestly isn't the part that bothers me most. As my username states, I am a Janesville teacher, I live in Janesville, and I coach in Janesville (so I have no vested interest in Brodhead except to ensure that we have a great educational system across the state).
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The part that bothers me most with this failed referendum is that the district will now be forced to make cuts that will directly affect EVERY student in the classroom. Cutting elementary teachers only raises class sizes. Cutting extras (music, art, etc.) is an awful idea because those classes "raise" a well-rounded student. The list goes on, but I'm just going off of what I remember from the first article.
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Seriously people, I understand the notion that money is tight now, but what better thing to invest in but the education of our youth? It will pay huge dividends in the future. I really hope the voters of Brodhead opens their eyes and the referendum passes the next time around.

I come from North Dakota and all the small schools merged with larger schools. Yes the kids have to ride the bus for a hour but it is working. Brodhead should consider doing the same. divide between Janesville and Monroe. The kids would get a better education and more extra activities.

chz8101
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Sorry grammar police. I don't have time to check everything before I hit submit.
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One pattern of the grammar police...it is usually when they are proven wrong and run out of valid arguments...then grammar and spelling matters.

whythink...get off the board. You can't even spell Brodhead correctly, let alone live here.
While I am on this subject, people, this page gives you the opportunity to preview your comments. I know proof reading your own work is sometimes difficult because you know what you meant to say and can't see the grammatical and spelling mistakes. But give it a try, huh?
Some of it is painful to read.
Hmmmm. Maybe I'm missing a very valid point here. Maybe you were out playing sports instead of studying the English lanquage.

The comment that some teachers told the kids they didn't care what they did they were out of here (or something to that effect). Hey they just made the boards job easy as to who goes. I never want my under age student to hear such tantrum ways. You are paid to do a job and if you don't like it that is your choice to find another one but it is not acceptable to talk to students that way.!!! No letter of recommendation either. You know I planned to vote yes on any revised referendum; until today I have had it with this garbage.

Using...
If you research you'll find that 25 years ago, before the formula was adjusted to encourage paridy in funding, that several rural school districts had farmers elected to the school board for the purpose of cutting the "fat" from the budget. The "fat" being sports, music, clubs, extra-curricular activities, etc. The Legislature then adjusted how money was distributed so educational offerings would be more equal around the state. I wish I could provide you more data, but it was in the past.

Several more comments from people who have bought into the school boards "promise" that all sports/activities will be cut, yet still no one has answered my question.

What other school has totally eliminated extra-curriculars? If this is a realistic outcome, then there must be some previous examples, because Brodhead certainly isn't the first district to turn down a referendum.

Yeah, it sure is a sad state of affairs when the taxpayers actually stand up against being fleeced with another tax increase. Who do they think they are trying to hold on to the money they work for? Don't they know that government is merely allowing them to hold on to that money until they (government) need it?
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Why do people blame this school district for all the other taxes going up?
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If people used would think a little bit they would realize this is an increase that is worthwhile. Just because you get to vote for it doesn't mean it should be a "no" vote.
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Listen, I don't live in Broadhead, have no investment in that community I just find it sickening that people are taking their anger about spending and taxes out on a small school district that has quietly cut each year and NEEDS A NEW FREAK'N ROOF.
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People need to do some research...start by reading the article. If they simply charge more for the xtras then they get less state aid. How does that help?
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I feel sorry for the parents and kids of this district that aren't able to simply open-enroll, for those willing to make extra sacrifices to keep a quailty district for their children and who can see beyond tomorrow and realize how negative this will really impact this district.
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Do want you want...the surrounding districts will benefit and the kids and staff left in Broadhead will be the only one's negatively impacted by this.
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Congrats Broadhead...your priorities are truly backwards.

172 students leaving as of today! $6,800 per student = $1.16 million out of the budget for next year added to a $400,000 deficit and a $500,000 roof replacement leaves a $2 million hole in the Brodhead school district budget. Surely there will be teachers and administration employees running the first chance they get to a community that cares about quality education and is willing to fund it. This could be the straw that breaks the back of what once was a very quality community!

Timewas you get your facts straight.If that's the case school will be trying to get the best players to come over to there school. Please call the WIAA on this. One other thing sports should not be the number one reason you are going to the school. Learn Learn

I don't think it is our community won't support the kids. Maybe we shouldn't have so quietly been cutting things for years do like the rest MAKE IT LOUD AND CLEAR so when they come up for referendum the people know it is coming. I read the school board minutes and call when I have questions but you know, some people just figure the people they elected are handling it and they will let you know man the next years I don't know we may be talking referendum here!!

By the way if we are all so determined to give up. Like this is the first referendum that has ever failed. Why have the meeting everyone is leaving so don't waste the time!

First There ARE restrictions on open enrollment: go to the WIAA and read it. It is there plain as day. Some of these students do not get to play for 365 calender days.Second yes the retirement plan is SOMEWHAT controlled by the state. Go to the comptroller at your school district; ask what is paid out and why... bet you would be surprised not all is state mandated. But I give you a hint in many districts you can retire early and have anywhere from 3 to 5 years paid benefits. I don't necessarily believe that is any one school boards fault. A lot of those sort of deals came in teacher union bargaining with arbitration. When it goes to arbitration; they kind of come up with a mix of things (to make a short story of it) and that is that. It is what it is now.
This is just getting to be absurd. EVERYONE should have to give a little. Straighten up stop the whining you have very little time to submit suggestions to your school board. PARENTS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS alike. Sit down think it out write a letter (leaving ALL the emotional garbage out of it) Make it clear and to the point. Many of you are so PROUD of your school? Stand up and act like it. Do your work, studies and duties. What are you going to accomplish like that? NOT A THING!!
By the way when you are trying to make your point to the community members tell them what you want to keep and why as well as what you are willing to give up. Remember when you are done presenting yourself in an ADULT and CIVIL manner - thank them, ask them to vote - yes or no; no matter what they decide, upon making an informed choice. Remember some of these people don't have students in your district and they contribute to many things, girl scouts, boy scouts, the football kids selling their discount cards, other sports, music, FFA and the list goes on and on. They stop at the store or gas station and can almost always find a jar for a family in need.
FYI I spoke with an elderly person today; the comment was made that if people didn't settle down and act more mature their vote would be most definitely NO. Although they can remember years ago potatoes being the supper of choice more than once, they have always tried to make sure that the kids (community as well as their own) "get most everything I can provide. Sometimes though there has to be a compromise." Pretty sad hu? Do we really have to have it ALL OR NOTHING?

Our schools are not "crumbling" around our ears. They, like most districts in the area, will be if they have to keep putting off maintenance to pay for other things. Our maintenance and computer tech budgets have not increased in 10 years. We have a school board that has quietly gone about cutting approx. $200k every year. They have managed to keep the mil rate one of the lowest in the area up until this year. There are no more "easy" cuts to make. Now the board has finally said they can't cut anymore. They have come to the community with a referendum to maintain the quality of our school district. Now all the people who have not paid attention, to how the state govt has gone about pulling more and more aid away, while mandating new programs, are shocked that districts are in as bad a shape as they have ever been. We had 2 communtiy meetings. There were articles in the papers. Now people are shocked that they really are going to cut extra curricular activities. I worked yesterday and saw a lot of tears from both students and staff. I never thought I would live to see the day that Brodhead would not support its kids. By the way, there were 172 kids open enrolling when I left today. Maybe there won't be enough left to even have a district.

Retirement health benefits are not handled by WRS - they are handled district by district and go up by double digits every year in addition to raises in contracts and are outside of QEO. Try again.

It's all about "cutting fat" or its the administrator's fault or the rotten school board members; what a bunch of crap. When your school district losses these students your whole community will suffer the effects and you will deserve what you have left, a "country bumkin" school district that is sub par in comparison to every other Wisconsin district. The worst part of all this is the students get to see what they really mean to their community! It's their friends who are filing paperwork to attend Monroe, Janesville, Evansville, etc. It's their sport's teams that are on the chopping block. It's their education that will be different, worse than the previous students!
So if 83 students take out over $500,000 from state aid, how is the school system going to survive when you add that the operational deficit. There could be a whole lot more added to that amount by the end of tomorrow!
Short-sighted, greedy people, shame on you!

I've seen the poor condition that this school is in - and I understand that money is tight for people right now, but wake up Brodhead - don't you want your children in a save school, instead of one that is crumbling down around them.
And for those that mention school choice - yes, that is always an option, but is it realistic for everyone? School choice kids - are to be transported back and forth to school - there goes your extra gas money traveling to where Janesville, Beloit, further?

Do any of the board members know what people have to go through to make the money they do?

Why would they raise sport fees? They make money off that. Just cut some fat you don't need all those Asst. Let them leave all School districts are having the same issues. Also you can't switch schools just to play sports with out moving into that district. Lets get back to the good old days and stop all this spending and threats.

Do any of you actually go to school board meetings on a regular basis so you know what's going on with the budgets month to month and year to year or do you just wait for stories like this to vent about your frustrations? If you actually became involved in the schools you might understand what the entire process involves and the difficulty in financing a school given all the constraints they have.

Not sure about Brodhead but Janesvilles reason always seems to equate New Buildings with better education. Never understood that.

"How sad is it, when a group of citizens won't believe the school board/administration? I am thinking all the cheap no voters are going to regret it when their property values drops and the school district becomes a joke"
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Yeah, it sure is a sad state of affairs when the taxpayers actually stand up against being fleeced with another tax increase. Who do they think they are trying to hold on to the money they work for? Don't they know that government is merely allowing them to hold on to that money until they (government) need it?

kinsohn, retirement pensions are handled by WRS, the same plan that all public employees in the state have - those pensions are not controlled by the district.

If they have another vote, the people that voted no better be up for a fight. I bet the pro spending people will be knocking on all the doors in the district trying to beg/con/bully/deceit/frighten people into voting yes. They will lower the cost, but just like janesville, there will be added costs later to make up for it.

Whythink.
I think therefore I am.
I am voting, and I am suggesting the other NO!voters need to keep their backbone and not go blindly along with the school board.
You don't just throw money at a failed situation hoping the problem goes away.
They are called "extra" curricular activities for a reason. You want them, you pay for them. I am sick and tired of my taxes going up because people are too afraid to say NO! when there are very good reasons to do so.

Some school systems have this mentality that they can "spend money like they stole it"! Those times are gone...how many of the kids are listed as low income? You think taxing the c**p out of them is going to make that situation any better? Many families had to severly tighten their belts...why can't the school system?

Employee retirement benefits are not up for a freeze or reduction, but sports and classroom instruction are. What are the odds?

Wouldn't the superintendent's time be better spent finding ways to save and budget with the current money, not to mention his true job. Nah, I guess rather than looking at ways to save money, lets just ask again for more money. Sounds like the both the Super and School Board need to listen to a few of Dave Ramsey's shows about getting out of debt. No means NO.

chz8101
Feb 18, 2010 at 11:54 a.m.
Suggest removal Stay together voters!
They can float a referendum 100 times and the answer will still be the same.
NO!
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THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA!
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How sad is it, when a group of citizens won't believe the school board/administration? I am thinking all the cheap no voters are going to regret it when their property values drops and the school district becomes a joke.
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I know times are tough...most voting no likely still find $ for x-mas presents, dinners out, and other XTRAS..this is an extra it is a necessity.
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WAKE-UP BROADHEAD...it is worth the $$$ to keep a quality district.

People keep acting like the School Board is actually serious about cutting all sports and activities.

Someone who believes this scare tactic / empty threat, please answer this question:
What other Wisconsin school district that has actually had to eliminate all sports and activities because of a failed referendum?

Instead of depending on the school system to entertain the kids, maybe the parents could take more of a active role in their lives. You don't NEED the school if a bunch of kids want to play a sport. You don't need school to have fun. Organize some teams people...I bet you will have more fun than you thought.

People will see how powerful the school system is. Between the teachers union and the school board (many of which were educators at one time), it is quite the formidable business.

If you take away sports or extra activities what do you think the kids are going to do? Nothing to keep them busy after school, work is already hard to find. Guess they will be walking the streets or forming more gangs in the communites since they have nothing to do. I dont think that is real smart. Not to mention, many parents will go to other districts that have the activities and the school will be in even more trouble then it already is!

Stay together voters!
They can float a referendum 100 times and the answer will still be the same.
NO!

This will not be the same referendum, Hank.

The city of Janesville should give them $2,000,000 dollars, it seems like we have extra money to give away!