MOMS TALK: You OK With Teacher Cuts?

Six Hopatcong teachers—Jaime Fialcowitz, Catherine Giugliano, Anne Keenan, Christina Munoz, Gerald Venturino and Wendy Wyman—were recently told they might not have jobs in the fall in anticipation of a failed school budget proposal.

Then it failed. By 34 votes.

Now it's up to the borough council to decided if it wants to slash the $35 million budget, which would have raised school taxes on the average Hopatcong home $109.

The Board of Education must accept the dollar amount the council wants cut. But when the council recommends where to make the reductions, it doesn't have to listen. Last year, the borough council slashed the propsoed budget $730,000. That, coupled with a $1.7 million reduction in state aid ended in 24.5 teacher cuts and handful of lost programs.

At last week's BOE meeting, district Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said while he didn't want to lose teachers, it might be the board's only recourse after eight straight defeated budgets. He also said 80 percent of the district's budget comes from salaries.

"The only place the school board could go to achieve a considerable savings was the salaries and benefits," Maranzano said in response to a parent asking about staff cuts. "You're absolutely right. We can't continue to balance the school budget on the backs of reducing staff. Pretty soon there won't be any staff left.

Last year, the school board cut 24.5 positions and a slew of programs, including high school field hockey, tennis and golf. The latter two sports returned this year as parent-funded programs.

So, are you OK with teacher cuts?

Tell us in the comments.