The Bear Went Over the Mountain...

…the bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see.  And what do you think he saw…?

He saw another mountain…that’s all that he could see!  (Repeat until exhausted).

 Welcome to my blog!

 Over the next two weeks, as the bear climbs the first mountain, you will read a lot in various media outlets about school budgets and school board elections, the voting for which takes place across NY State on Tuesday, May 17 —the date the mountaineering bear is scheduled to reach the summit.   I will be writing about this year’s school budgets and school board elections, here.

But the bear analogy implies that bigger and more exhausting issues lay far beyond the first peak on May 17^th.  So, the expectation I want to set is for laying-out, defining, and exploring those larger issues after the hub-bub of the May 17 elections is behind us.

By way of introduction, I write about education, but not so much about school life as about the governance, costs, financing and funding of education, including the organization, management and actual operation of school districts; the complex of laws, rules, and regulations under which schools are supposed to operate; the arcane state aid formula; mandates of all kinds, as well as current, topical issues that relate to education.  My underlying bent is taxes, but with due regard to the over-arching cause of educating our children, which is why public schools exist.

Fairness on my blog is determined solely by my own judgment.   School board elections, as a perfect example, are partisan, with two or more people often competing against one another for the same seat(s) on the Board of Education.  I write about school board elections as a partisan; not partisanship owing to any candidate’s political affiliation, but partisanship based upon whom I personally feel are the best candidates to support, from my perspective (given my bent for school taxes and education).

Balance?  In partisan elections or with any controversial issue where contending sides or opinions have to be weighed against one another, fairness rules.  I do my level best to decide the fairness of an issue. Determining fairness is laden with my personal biases formed from experience, and generally leaves little or no room for “balance”, or the presentation of opinions contrary to what I have determined to be the proper and “fair” final assessment of the matter.

The next several blogs will deal with the upcoming school district voting.  Future menu entrees include the School Tax Cap, current finances and audits; organization changes that should be considered; administrative consolidation & BOCES; and long-range planning.

Questions for me?   Ask Chris Wendt

News or Information to share?   Tell Chris Wendt

Wantagh School Budget: Wantagh School Budget Details

Seaford School Budget: Seaford School Budget Required "Boilerplate"

Thank you for reading my blog.  Please stay tuned!

Chris Wendt