We all know about zero hour at high schools. Students come in, on their own will, to take a course before school even starts for the day. This gives them the opportunity to take an extra elective, such as foreign language or music courses. I nearly choked when I read about Lincoln Way High School's decision to "do away" with zero hour, and offer it as an additional tuition.
The goal was to cut back on expenditures in the schools. Apparently, the state owes the Lincoln Way district over 5 million dollars in promised grants. Other cuts include eliminating staff, both instructional and administrative, eliminating deans, eliminating courses and other things the school has not thought too much about, in my opinion.
If the school now is a high ranking school, something must be going right. Here's the problem: Nowhere does the school discuss cutting back on athletics. Now, I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but let's think about this clearly. If the school offers less programs, makes classes larger. eliminates deans, and gets rid of great programs such as the trades/building program, they will save big money. This cuts down on the range of diversity in students courses, gives a greater student to teacher ratio, and leaves more room for students to get into trouble, because there will not be enough staff to handle it. Hello, athletics. Is it costing the school nothing for coaches, transportation, uniforms, equipment, and maintenance of fields and gyms? This is a school, not a gym. I love sports as much as the next person, but something isn't adding up.
The upside is that you can still take a zero hour course - but it will cost you $500 per year. Well, I'm no math major, but assuming a family has two high school students that take zero hour, that's $1000 per year for high school courses.This is outside of all other school fees. Many students are not buying into this program. Not that they want to get up early anyway, but now, their out the chance to take an extra elective, and more limited in the remainder of the courses offered to them. I am frustrated by this. As a teacher, I can't see why some schools look so deeply at their athletics to be blinded by the fact that this is an expense. I would much rather see the school have a high success rate than see a school with a state pennant.
Paying for zero hour is an outrage. Kids want to go to school and learn. They are essentially punished because some families cannot afford to send them, Our economy stinks right now, everyone is hurting, but now we are throwing education into the quicksand, I don't understand. . .
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