Students push for changes in teacher cuts

Student leaders made their case to the school board. photo by Jim Cornelius Student outrage over school budget cuts was re-channeled last week from an abortive protest walk-out into a campaign to save the job of at least one of the retired teachers whose positions were cut from next year's budget.

Ryder Hornbeck, Brittany Wall and Chris Wimer, representing dozens of students who packed a special school board meeting Monday night, May 24, asked the school board to allow fund-raising to save the position of English teacher Carol Dixon.

Dixon is an English teacher who retired last year -- as did many teachers statewide -- in order to protect her retirement pension.

She worked part-time this year and wants to continue teaching. However, as part of cuts to meet a more than $400,000 budget shortfall, Dixon, along with retired teachers Elizabeth Renner (Spanish), Sue Beck (photography) and contract drama teacher Kit Stafford, will not be rehired.

Students argued that Dixon has a unique ability to motivate students in her college credit Writing 121 course. The students also made it clear in the face of repeated questioning from board member Eric Dolson, that saving Dixon's classes is their top priority.

Principal Bob Macauley told the board that there are qualified teachers available to teach advanced English classes, including Writing 121, and he is also exploring the possibility of offering the course through a Central Oregon Community College satellite class in Sisters.

It is not yet clear which classes will be offered next year.

Students had planned a protest walk-out on Tuesday, May 18, but school officials led by Macauley would not let it happen. Macauley told The Nugget that he explained to students that a walk-out created liability and discipline problems for the school and that he couldn't allow it.

While he acknowledged that he told students that the penalty would be suspension, Macauley said he also told the students he did not want to be forced into threatening them.

In fact, the principal said, he wanted to provide the students with appropriate forums to voice their concerns.

"They're passionate, they're stirred to action," Macauley said. "I don't want to throw a bucket of water on that. That's the best education you've got."

Macauley noted that one of the most remarkable aspects of the student protest is that it is led by seniors who won't be back next year -- who are unaffected by the cuts.

"We care about the future and kids are our future," senior leader Brittany Wall told The Nugget. "We want to look back and see that it's still a great school and say, 'Hey, I went there.'"

For the students, the solution to the problem of budget cuts should be simple: If you need $9,000 or $10,000 to bring back a part-time teacher, raise it. Sisters has a long track record of raising funds for all sorts of causes.

The students proposed a fund-raising concert and silent auction.

The students were surprised to learn that the situation is more complicated than it appears. The Sisters Schools Foundation is restricted by its bylaws from funding salaries. And there are likely thorny labor law issues involved in raising funds to pay a teacher.

The school board currently has no policy about fund-raising for teachers' salaries. Board Vice Chair Bill Reed promised the student leaders that the board and Superintendent Lynn Baker will look into creating such a policy and come back with a decision at the June 14 board meeting.