Editor:
District 55 School Board’s decision to approve a four-day school week beginning next year is a slap in the face to our community.
I applaud Chanz Keeney, David VanDerLip, Kevin Burger, and Billie Weber for their opposition to this proposal.
Shame on Mike E. Adams, Dale Keene, Mike Reynolds, Jason Redick, Jenny Daniels and Supt. Don Shrader.
Supt. Don Shrader, who spearheaded this campaign, ran a one-sided side show and anyone and everyone could read the “writing on the wall” that this was already decided, no matter what our community wanted or needed.
To target the classified employees, who will be the only school employees to lose hours, possibly insurance benefits, is a crime in itself.
Some employees will lose up to eight hours a week and 40 hours a month, which is a substantial amount of money. Quite a financial blow. Rent payment, utilities cost, car payment, etc.
It’s almost like a caste system has been activated in the school district employment environment. The school district administration, the top rung of the ladder, followed by the certified staff, who have huge shoes to fill by the amount of paper work, class sizes, behavior factors, etc.
On the lowest rung: the classified – the lowest paid, the first to be cut, the ones who have the hands- on, daily encounters with our children, the ones who transport, feed, assist, maintain the buildings, grounds, supervise playgrounds, etc.
Supt. Shrader is so high on his own horse that he doesn’t see or care what our classified staff contribute to our students, teachers, schools, and community.
Maybe a cut in the pay or benefits is needed to the “commander in cheek” of our Fool Board, so he can share the pain alongside our dedicated classified staff.
This letter is written from the heart of a Sweet Home classified employee-retired, who does and did make a difference in our schools.
Michael E. O’Malley
Sweet Home