Follow the money, if you can

I don’t know about you, but I find the school bonds quite perplexing. Yes, I agree that education is important, that the children are our future, so on and so forth. The perplexing part is that taxpayers spend an astonishing amount on education already – half of our property taxes. Spokane schools spend more than the state average – more than $10,000 per student, per school year. Still, students are more likely to apply to Burger U than WSU.

For me, at least, the $10,000 question is, “Where is all the money being spent?”

Here’s what I found. The vast majority of funds are not going to education, by which I mean educators, books and education materials. The money is going to administrative staff and other pencil-pushers. Between CV and Mead, there are 55 district employees making $100,000-plus salaries (county median household income is $50,000), none of which are educators. Established teachers are well-paid ($60,000-80,000) – a good thing in my book, but it hardly makes up for the waste.

Imagine my surprise when, talking to a friend about my frustrations, she hands me a mailer that sums it all up. It’s For The Kids!

Really? I’m not so sure it is.

Elizabeth Hassan

Elk