Is the Buna ISD About Bankrupt?

 Buna ISD has always been a poor school district, it does not matter the number of new Waffle Houses being built on Hwy 96 in town.

All you have to do is look at the your property taxes. I was somewhat stunned when I learned how much the patrons of the district were paying for the school district.  

And I wonder seriously about the future of the district. 

There are things coming and you won't understand until it hits you in the side of the head.  

Yesterday I heard of at least maintenance person the district can't pay what seems to be the prevailing wage. 

Allegedly, the person in the question was asked to punch out for at least 2 hours at lunch.....Non-paid lunch.....Before they punch in for another half of their work shift.  

You can rest assure they are looking at leaving the district and looking at another position, either with another school district or in private industry. If they are leaving, how many are people are looking.....

Do not forget how many people are needed to make a school district work. HVAC techs., diesel mechanics, electricians, plumbers, guys that just do labor around the campuses. There is constantly something broken. And your kids often tear stuff up. 

Then there is the janitorial staff keeping the place from looking like " Yucca Flats After the War." You know what a hallway looks like, normal wear and tear, sand, dirt from kids just come inside? And what classes look like after there are 30 kid in them all day long. That's every school in America.   

And the ladies feeding 1000s of kids, breakfast and a noon meal. And look at health inspection, the schools always make a 100. This is with feed a hundreds of kids a school, every day.  The health scores are always higher than the greasy spoon you eat at in Beaumont every day for your lunch. And you wonder why those of you working in Beaumont get diarrhea a couple times a month?

These ladies are not making a king's ransom.....And they have a hard job, and often the hottest place on campus is the cafeteria. Big stoves, big ovens....

And I am not even going to discuss bus drivers, the district can't find those... God bless them.....

As I was told last night by someone, and they were correct, they treat those people, maintenance, custodian, cafeteria, drivers like " Trash." And I don't think the average person knows how much these folks in districts around the state pay these people. 

Already the district law enforcement is saying....The leadership doesn't understand the first thing about law enforcement, and they are leaving.   They are telling to do things that are counter initiative to everything they have been taught and have learned in being a police officer. They were afraid they would not be where they need to be, when they are needed. 

And generally, most cops want to do right.  

And already I am hearing from teachers. 

Done. 

They are just done. 

And I have spoken to more than one that are looking to leave at Christmas break. They're say, yeah, I'll lose my certificate for a year, but living like this, well, I can't keep going on.   

Many others are already waiting until May to turn in their resignation.

Most are saying they are being micromanaged to the point they are not really teaching. They are just going through the motions.

And word is out in the area. Look at the number of people who do not have certificates teaching in the Buna ISD.   

There are "Old Hands" in the school district that are  stuck. For whatever reason, they have to stay, and many of them would love to leave.  Many times they are just hanging on until they get their pension from TRS and it is getting harder and harder to get one. 

A lot if not all is micromanagement. 

And then, while pay has increased, it is not enough to attract qualified personnel to the town.  

I had one of those in the Houston area, and I left years ago, eventually the school district ran him off. 

Look, most teachers, especially at the middle school-high school level know what they are doing. ( Like my Mother who taught 4th and 5th grade for right at 40 years didn't know exactly what she was doing...And so many administrators have less than 3-7 years in the classroom.)

Let them teach. That is why they took the job. They have degrees, they are professionals. 

Could you imagine Mr. Thomas trying to implement some administrator's idea, fantasy of what they think government/economics should look like, especially one who never taught a day in gov/eco in their life. 

I'd just shake my head, agree, and teach however I planned to do so originally. 

If you fire me, well, I was looking for a job when I found this one.....I know, I know easier said then done. 

I wonder how many people are going to leave Buna? Move their kids? Already people are inquiring about Evadale and asking me about what school they should move their kids to? ( OF, BC, LCM///Heck, Vidor is looking better and better.)   

It's something that Buna has just never "gotten" the school district is for every kid. From the kid who didn't have two nickles to rub together to Richie Rich. 

I don't know, maybe the state needs to come in and " blow it up."