Good Friday

The following is a yet unpublished Tribune Letter to the Editor from a good friend. I support his issues as well as him advocacy. If you agree with him, do help his Community Issues Council.

February 27, 2009
Editor
The Tampa Tribune
Re: February 26: Despite Stimulus, Schools Face Cuts
Dear Editor,
When the School Board allows political correctness (PC) to trump common sense the most common results are poor education and/or higher costs.
Good Friday has been a holiday for Hillsborough County schools (SDHC) for years. For most Christian denominations it's a very important holy day. On March 21, 2008 the Board chose to disrespect Christians in the county by eliminating the Good Friday holiday in order to "be fair" to county residents who claim other faiths.
The result is what happens when political correctness (PC) rules. Nearly 60% of pupils, teachers, and administrators didn't show up. Schools were calling other schools looking for additional teachers. Safety was jeopardized because students were left at bus stops waiting for busses that never came. The few pupils and teachers that came watched movies in the auditorium.
The money spent on running the busses that did run and the cost of ramping up the power plants for every school in the county were wasted!
Superintendant Elia recently surveyed SDHC employees to see what cost cutting methods would be acceptable. The only one on the survey that received more than a 25% "Yes" vote was to take a day off the calendar and not pay employees for it. The "Yes" vote was over 85%!
So, for the 2009 - 2010 budget year, the School Board can once again make Good Friday a holiday, saving the money that was wasted in 2008 plus the money that would be paid to employees for the day, or they can be PC, wasting money and endangering county students.
I know which one any logical person would choose. What the School Board will choose is still up in the air.
Sincerely,

Terry Kemple


3433 Lithia Pinecrest Road, Suite 354 ♦ Valrico, FL 33596-6302
Website www.CommunityIssuesCouncil.com ♦ Email CIC@integrity.com ♦ Phone 813-653-4822 ♦ Fax 813-685-5582

posted by admin @ 5:45 PM