Facing a $2 million dollar deficit thanks to unfulfilled promises from the Georgia Capitol, Dr. Edwards and CSD are fighting back against the “austerity cuts” in public school funding that have been in place since 2002.   According to the AJC, these austerity cuts have cost the city $2.7 million since ’02.

The “Save Our Schools” public information campaign comes in a time when CSD is attempting to grapple with the $2 million shortfall going into the next fiscal year.  Things are so tight, that even teacher layoffs have been mentioned.

Well, I can’t fault Decatur about not being proactive.  All school systems across the state are currently feeling the pinch, but CSD is the first in the state to show that it refuses to just rollover.  Hopefully other school systems will join the initiative soon.

The AJC article talks about a public information packet for the public.  Hopefully I can get my hands on a copy when it becomes available.

In a recent Decatur edTV video, school Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Edwards talks with restrained irritation about the state’s funding shortfall when it comes to public schools, and discusses where Decatur will have to make cutbacks (travel, no overtime, hiring freeze, reduction in technology and maintenance…and even more going forward).

As noted in previous posts, about $250,000 of that $1 million was supposed to come from rolling back the “austerity cuts” on schools that Perdue implemented when he took office.  But apparently that was all talk.  The other nearly $700,000 is from the disappearing Homeowner’s Tax Relief Grant money that the state can’t afford to pay back to the city (whoops!).

The state of Georgia seems to have planned as poorly as the sub-prime mortgage industry and all of its many patrons.

If you’d like to let Sonny know how you feel, here’s the link.