Changes to Classes at Buna ISD? And Do the Parents, Students Know?

 Dear Gentle Reader,

You are often reminded by this author, and once again, that, every job is just that, a job. You would like to think it is better, and in the school business, you are often told that " We are a family."

In reality, it is just like every other place of employment. It is a place in which you do your work, to get the your paycheck on the 20th of the month. ( That's payday in Buna ISD) You have seen teachers let go by the Buna Schools because the school was having economic troubles. 

I often wonder if many changes by the Buna ISD revolves around financial troubles. Poor decisions? Not planning for future economic troubles? Just not 'salting away for hard times?' 

- It seems that the advanced culinary classes in the morning at Buna High School are going to be required to go to the cafeteria in the morning to help prepare lunches, rather than be in a classroom setting learning how to cook. 

There have been question if it was even legal to put 15 kids in the lunchroom along with the ladies who are actually hired to prepare lunch? And will these ladies be required to supervise the student? 

Is this a first move to "do away with" the ladies in the lunchroom? If not all, some? Many of  the ladies,which, who have worked in that profession for years. Is this an economics move? If so, does the Board of Trustees know? 

( Working in the school cafeterias is serious business. They are always among the cleanest places to eat in the county. When the health inspector comes through, they are those who score 100 on their health inspections. And they take pride in their cleanliness. And on a shoestring budget, it has been my experience, they turn out some dadgum tasty meals.)

But, I digress.

The teacher of the class has until September 1st to have all of her students pass the " Safe Serve Certification."( An exam)

It seems several of the students in the class, are academically challenged, are on various academic disability/special needs programs as prescribed by the federal government and in the past, has taken the instructor until the Spring of the school year to get these students ready to pass the exam. Now, they have to pass the test, 13 days after school begins. 

The exams themselves cost the Buna ISD a lot of money, and while the government reimburses the district for kids who pass, in the past,not everyone passes. 

Allegedly, culinary classes are being moved to a class that was used for STEM classes and there was some question if there were even stoves, sinks, ice boxes, microwaves in the class, and supposedly, a board member was asked about the move and a re-model for the culinary course. And I was told they knew nothing about it. 

The morning classes are different classes than what the kids sign up for, and what the parents understood the classes were going to be.....You know, you signed up for "Government Classes" with Mr. Thomas, you were going to get ISMs, then British Backgrounds,the US Constitution, the Amendments( Bill of Rights) in that order of lessons....In Economics, you were going to get Microeconomics, with Supply and Demand to start the course. 

And I worry about the ladies working in the cafeteria. Many of whom I know. What extra duties are going to be added to their job? Are their positions in peril? 

Are we looking to "do away" with the culinary program?  It is a CTE program.

We keep hearing Buna ISD is in economic trouble......Is this just a sign of even more things to come?