FINE POINT?

14 counties facing penalties after School Board vote

Some school districts are facing penalties for having schools that don't meet class size requirements after State Board of Education rulings Monday. Money will be transferred out of each school district's operational budget and into capital outlay for such things as building more classrooms. County school districts with at least one noncomplying school and the amounts they face losing from their operating budgets include:

Alachua, $5,090
Duval, $65,263
Escambia, $11,509
Franklin, $4,267
Hardee, $19,967
Lee, $27,716
Leon, $13,249
Manatee, $100,625
Marion, $257
Orange, $26,213
Osceola, $94,095
Polk, $6,462
Putnam, $6,287
Volusia, $28,666

Source: State Department of Education

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Did we really have to teach the additional period?

Could we afford these "fines" to keep morale at an acceptable level?

How did our teaching the extra period benefit the district?

Could the fine have been paid by the superintendent's "bonus"?

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Tampa Tribune, September 2nd 2007

"Clements, however said her union, which has about 7,000 members, is loosely affiliated with the labor group and often differs in its endorsements."

Tampa Tribune

"Hillsborough's union represents 14,815 teachers...."

Would you have given the district $100.00 to pay the fine and keep your conference period?

That's a $1,481,500.00 fund. And if Gretchen Saunders puts it an interest bearing account it could grow and continue to cover the fines.

It can't be this simple, or obvious.