*NEWS*TEACHERS FORCED TO BUY TONER OR PAPER ?

[Anonymous]

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=b7d6c518-d182-47ce-9c4b-6097a26341eb
Teachers forced to buy toner or paper
A shrinking budget is creating a dilemma for Seminole Ridge High School English Department Chair Sandy Aragon.  Paper or toner?
“Every
year I try to provide my teachers with something that they can be using
in the classroom, and sadly this year it was do I buy toner cartridges
or do I buy paper?”That’s right.  The school’s 20 English teachers will
have to dig deep into their pockets next year.  Printer cartridges and
paper don’t come cheap.”If you were to refill the cartridge, the
cartridge costs about anywhere from 70 to 120 dollars to get it
refilled,” said Aragon, “Paper is about 25 dollars a case.”This year,
Aragon purchased 40 cases of paper for her teachers.

It leaves them with a tough decision.
Aragon
said, “I’m waiting for my department to give me feedback and we’re
going to be democratic, majority vote will rule and whatever decision
we make, that’s what we’re going to end up buying, I guess.”Principal
Lynn McGee says the situation isn’t easy.  Her school lost two teachers
and a secretary, though they will all be reassigned.  School
improvement funds are being slashed in half, student achievement funds
are going from 100-dollars per student to 85 and Advanced Placement
money is being cut by one-third.”There’s a lot more of balancing and
really tweaking and squeaking the budget, getting every penny to
count,” said McGee.Schools are now trying to get the most bang for
their buck and making sacrifices whether it’s paper vs. toner or
something else.”You have to maintain your budget, it’s no different
than your family budget, you gotta make it work and work we will.”McGee
says this is one of the toughest financial times she’s ever experienced
in the district.  Now schools need to decide how to best utilize the
money they already have because it has to go further.

[Author]

May 16, 2008 at 12:36 PM