Schools
Harford School System's Cost-Cutting Measures Draw Public Opposition
Many voiced concern about activity fees, transportation changes and schedule shifts during the July 29 Board of Education meeting.
Parents, students and other concerned Harford County residents voiced opposition at Monday's Harford County Board of Education meeting regarding several recently passed policies.
Three issues drew the most heat during the public comment period: activity fees, depot bus stops for magnet program students and a fourth-tier school day.
Under the new activity fee policy, students will pay $50 per season to play an interscholastic sport, while other activities—such as clubs, school plays and academic honor societies—will cost $25 for the year.
“We believe this is going to have dramatic, long-term effects on the kind of student Harford County produces," Donna Bethke with Havre de Grace High School's booster club said.
“The 'pay to play' policy will put Harford County students at a disadvantage when applying for college scholarships," Debbie Sheeler, president of the C. Milton Wright booster club, said.
She explained colleges look for well-rounded students who have shown leadership ability and proved they are team players through participation in sports and other activities.
Parents with students in magnet programs were equally upset about transportation changes announced July 18, which include the institution of depot stops at home high schools for students in magnet programs.
“It places a severe hardship on my family and many other families who are here today," said Mary Archer, whose children were enrolled in Aberdeen and North Harford magnet programs.
Archer said when her children were accepted into magnet programs, her family was promised consolidated bus stops within a mile of home.
“Had we known about this, my freshman could have gone somewhere else, or at least the same magnet program as my older daughter," Archer said.
Madeline Miller, a 14-year-old Fallston resident in the magnet program at Edgewood High School, said she knew she would have to get up earlier and get home later to attend the magnet program.
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"I was OK with that," Miller said.
She was not, however, prepared to for the transportation changes. She explained both her parents have full time jobs and will not be able to pick her up at 2:30 p.m. each day.
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Another parent said she didn't know if she could look her child in the eye and tell him he can no longer attend the magnet program he worked so hard to get into because she has no way to get him there and back.
Other parents expressed safety concerns for students who would be forced to stay outside in all elements for more than two hours as they waited for their parents to get out of work and pick them up.
In order cut transportation costs, the school system this year is also planning to implement a fourth-tier elementary schedule, moving Bakersfield, Red Pump, Bel Air and Forest Lakes elementary schools to later start and end times.
School days at these schools will begin at 9:30 a.m. with school dismissed at 4 p.m. This allows the school buses to serve more schools, reducing the number of buses the system needs to operate, according to officials. This change was announced July 18.
Each of these changes were made to fill gaps in the school system's budget.
Harford County Council members Dick Slutzky and Dion Guthrie spoke up during public comment contending that the school system's statement that the $20.2 million shortfall was created by the county budget was misleading.
“Under certain circumstances, the state education law gives the council the ability to give additional funding to the board of education,” Slutzky said. Those funds are not required and would need to be cut from other departments, Slutzky said.
Slutzky and Guthrie said the county has consistently given more than required to the school system's budget.
Guthrie echoed Slutzky's comments by saying a number of people have reached out to him and other members of the county council blaming them for school board funding issues.
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