Meghan E. Murphy: Taking Away Money Will Hurt Our Schools

Published in the Times Herald Record on 01/26/11 

When I write columns defending public employees or education spending, I get impassioned e-mails:

"You can't just pour more money into education and expect better results!"

Turn that statement upside down and we're in total agreement:

"You can't just suck money out of education and not expect worse results!"

Yet the reformist talk that we hear these days says that school districts should offer better results with dwindling resources. Seriously, it's time for a reality check.

Sure, there is potential for greater efficiency. Districts will "find" money by reworking bus routes, reorganizing administrations or using fewer supplies.

And, yes, some districts in New York might need to downsize, consolidate or close schools because enrollments have dwindled.

There are also changes that can be made to help schools maintain performance as we muster toward recovery.

I've written about mandate relief, pension reform and changing the way we pay for education statewide. Some educators have advocated for such improvements for a decade.

But let's not fool ourselves. We aren't going to do more with less.

If you increase class sizes, pay teachers less and offer fewer benefits, the pool of applicants will not improve.

If schools must cut teacher's aides, art programs and sports, students will not be getting a "21st Century Education."

While I'm hopeful that Gov. Andrew Cuomo is thinking seriously about how to bring about meaningful change, schools are painted into that funding corner right now.

Superintendents are staring, amazed, at budget gaps that need to be filled now.

They're waiting for Cuomo's state aid figures next Tuesday in anxious anticipation of just how much might be cut.

That's because taking significant amounts of money from schools, no matter how thoughtfully you do it, will decrease programs, which will affect results.

President Barack Obama rightfully calls education an investment in our country's future.

Meanwhile, our leaders are all saying we don't have any money to invest.

Each community now has to choose how to balance the education system we want with the one that we can afford.

That's the reality.

So let's stop pretending that we're going to offer exceptional opportunities at a new low, low price.