County budget cuts threaten student involvement

Three Charles County commissioners voted for budget cuts toward the public schools of this area.

About $7.7 million was used in the opening of the new school, St. Charles High School. The money used for St. Charles could have been used to renovate and repair older schools such as La Plata High School. With the lack of funding, we are forced to cut after school transportation. The buses allowed students who stayed after to have a ride home after a club or sport. The lack of buses has affected many students around the county, prompting North Point students to announce the creation of a county-wide petition at the most recent Board of Education meeting.

Speaking to the teachers of La Plata, their opinion on the budget cuts and the creation of St. Charles are that it was bad timing or the money should have been spread out more effectively. Teachers emphasized frozen salaries as being a key issue due to budget cuts; however, nothing seemed to change as far as receiving resources. The teachers in the technology hallway still received their technology and supplies, while art and science still obtained everything they ordered.

La Plata art teacher Josh Hettel said, “The administrators [at La Plata] support our fine arts more than other high schools.”

Many students at La Plata still believe that the budget and the creation of St. Charles was not the right decision.

Devin Vancleaf, a first-year student at La Plata, believes that the new school should not have received new items, but previously-used items. Andy Chen, another freshmen, stated that the new school should not have relied on the county, but raised its own money.

However, sophomore Jacob Likens said, “If the new school makes a change toward education, then it was the right decision.”

Students and parents alike have voiced displeasure over some of the issues brought about with the new school. Because schools have limited budgets and in some cases lack necessary tools to teach important lessons, I personally feel that the money should have gone toward the older, needier schools before the commissioners worked to make a new, more advanced high school. However, as the county grows, these decisions will become more frequent, so for now we just have to wait and see if any change will come our way for future students of La Plata.