Troubles are mounting in Austintown schools

Troubles are mountingin Austintown schools
EDITOR:
Inasmuch as most cringe at the thought of publicly criticizing leadership, I find that many of us need to take greater notice when it comes to the Austintown Board of Education. There is a huge disparity between what is happening at ground zero and what our school board is telling us parents publicly.
I have two children in the district and can speak from first-hand experience. I see and have spoken to entrenched teachers and school administrators who appear to have stopped caring about the individual student long ago. Some of this comes from a unionized mentality. Other teachers and administrators have been in the system 20 or more years. If the "good ol' boy" network doesn't get you, then just wait for the obviously tired and worn. Too, I will never understand the overly defensive teacher who feels compelled to argue with a parent about the tutelage of his or her child. Never.
Also, tie in the fact that our middle schools and high school are strapped for cash. Just ask. It's more than obvious. Our teachers are just as tired when it comes to school finances. A lot of them are tired of what they contribute on a personal basis.
The board will tell you that we have made significant strides by building a new complex and that some of the issues will be alleviated upon completion of construction. How misleading. What board members won't tell the public is that our district will not be able to stave off a million dollar deficit or more. What board members won't tell the public is how their power will be diminished by the constraints of "fiscal emergency" measures or the political fallout and infighting as a result, particularly among long-time and firmly entrenched board members.
When I look at our Board of Education, I don't like what I see. Very little emphasis has been placed on financial analysis. Now is the time to look at top-heavy administration. Is our district looking at present movements to align itself with other school districts for health care costs? I What I am beginning to hear from our board is that they want parents to "pay as you play" and similar programs where the local taxpayer bears a greater and greater financial burden. The board all too quickly forgets how difficult it was to get a levy for our latest capital improvements. We parents are already taxed to the gills, so is our board's expectations realistic? I would affirm that they are not.
Don't be so easily fooled about what is happening with our schools here in Austintown. We have our share of drugs, tobacco, cigarettes, and violence in the high school. Tie in the fact that we have an entrenched union work force. We have a top-heavy administration. A $1 million deficit looms on the horizon. Does anyone else see what I'm seeing?
HARRY C. TURNER III
Youngstown
Saving Social Security
EDITOR:
Social Security remains the national initiative to ensure that elderly workers don't slip into abject poverty. Our elder workers, and their ancestors, nurtured the industry, economy and commerce that paved the way for today's worker to succeed.
Funding of this program is and should be the task of all working Americans. Each worker should contribute equally, according to their means, to the honor, respect and security of our predecessors.
Bearing this in mind, I would propose that the cap on Social Security be eliminated.
Today a worker earning $50,000 per year contributes 6.2 percent of his pay to Social Security; while another worker earning four times as much contributes 3.2 percent of his pay. The worker earning $300,000 per year has an effective tax rate for Social Security of 1.9 percent.
Eliminating the cap would not be a tax increase; rather it would be a uniformly applied tax rate. Yes, it would generate more tax revenue because it would finally apply the tax rate uniformly.
BOB ELSTON
New Middletown