The following presentation by the NAACP Youth Council was delivered to the Harford County Board of Education on Monday, September 9th. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication:
Good Evening,
My name is Eric Watson, I am a student at John Carroll High School and I am the Vice President of the Harford County NAACP Youth Council under the leadership of Mr. Corneilius Scott, Advisor of the Harford County NAACP Youth Council.
Due to the budget shortfall, the Board implemented several cost-saving and revenue-generating measures, which resulted in several policy changes that have adversely impacted students and their families. Hence, on behalf of the NAACP Youth Council, I would like to present the Board with two issues that have a major impact on our community.
I. Pay to Play/Participate
• Athletic and activity fees were instituted to pay for extracurricular programs.
• The Board of Education set the fees at $25 per activity to participate in each elementary, middle or high school extracurricular activity for which the sponsor is paid a stipend and $50 per season to participate in any Junior Varsity (JV) or Varsity sport.
• The introduction of these fees can be cost-prohibitive and create financial hardship for families.
o Certain groups of students are exempt from these new fees (namely those approved for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS), those with parents who are certificated personnel covered under the HCEA Negotiated Agreement, such as teachers, guidance counselors, etc., and those with parents who are on active military duty activity).
o Why were these groups selected for exemptions? While one can understand exempting low-income students from the fees and while we fully support the certificated personnel, the non-certificated personnel are much lower paid and likely the least able to afford the new fees.
o In addition, those who would stand to benefit from participating in athletics and extracurricular activities the most likely will have to scale back their participation due to the cost-prohibitive fees and financial hardship.
• Furthermore, the fees can only be paid online via debit or credit card.
o This practice is discriminatory since many do not have online/internet access due to the digital divide, while others may not have debit or credit cards by choice or due to financial circumstances.
o In contrast, the school lunch program, while encouraging parents to submit payment via the online portal, MySchoolBucks.com, still accepts payments at the school via cash and check.
Recommendation: It is the NAACP Youth Council’s recommendation to the Board to postpone the implementation of the Pay to Play/Participate policy for one year to adequately prepare families. Additionally, expand the options of payments to include money orders, cash, check or even Paypal.
II. Changes to the Transportation Policy
• Four new elementary schools were added to the fourth tier bus schedule by starting and ending 30 minutes later (9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.),
o This change can adversely affect parents by requiring an additional outlay for before school day care services that were previously unnecessary and also may wreak havoc on parents’ work schedules.
• Elimination of previously approved exemptions to the HCPS transportation policy,
o This has raised huge safety issues since students are now being forced to walk longer distances in areas without sidewalks, cross major thoroughfares, as well as walk in the dark.
• Depot bus stops established for magnet school students, and
o This new requirement places the burden on the parents to transport their magnet students to a depot when previously students were transported directly from their neighborhoods. As a result of this increased burden, some magnet students may forego this educational opportunity.
• Consolidated bus stops established for both middle and high school bus routes.
o Again, this is a safety issue since students are walking longer distances in the dark along unsafe routes. A single accident or injury would negate the Board’s savings of $890,000.
Recommendation: It is the NAACP Youth Council’s recommendation to closely monitor the outcome of the changes to the Transportation Policy, remediate the issues identified immediately, and/or revert to the previous schedules and bus routes in 2014-2015.
EdgeWoodstock Festival 2013
The NAACP Youth Council took the opportunity to gather the concerns of Harford County residents through a survey administered at the 1st annual EdgeWoodstock Festival on Saturday, August 3, 2013.
I am presenting the results of the survey and comments to help provide a clear view of how individuals and families have been impacted by these two issues. A copy has been provided to the Board.
Over 57% of the respondents reported they are being directly impacted by the changes to the Harford County Public Schools transportation policy. Sixty-seven percent of the respondents believe that children or that their specific child has a greater likelihood of being harmed or injured due to these changes.
Recommendation: The Board was very limited in its ability to meet the school system’s educational needs based upon the reduced funds provided by the County Executive. It is the NAACP Youth Council’s recommendation to the Board to urge the County Executive to increase funds for the Harford County Public Schools’ Education Budget in order to provide adequate funding so that there is a level playing field of all students. Thus, the changes to the transportation policy and implementation of Pay to Play/Participate would not be necessary.
Nonsense. WHY are these KIDS given a voice in a tax/budget issue? I’d say this is representation without taxation.
Had to laugh at the Paypal idea…WHY in the world would Paypal get a cut of the action? Or don’t these KIDS realize this is a profit-making company? And…. if you have Paypal, I’d say you probably have one of the other acceptable forms of payment. LOL LOL LOL
While I agree with your Paypal observation and additionally note it does not help bridge the digital divide as it is essentially the same concept as My School Bucks, I think you fail to realize this group has the right to address the board. The fact that they excercised that right seems to bother you.
Paypal offers a prepaid card that can be purchased/loaded at CVS, Walgreens, etc. Its how you spend money online if you can’t qualify for even a prepaid credit card.
SO you need a computer which the speaker claimed was part of the problem.
The libraries have computers anyone with a library card can use.
In our world where the taxpayers voice is often discarded, it is ironic that we’re so interested in a voice that has not contributed one penny. Personnally, I’d love to see some of these issues on a ballot. That way, when it really is something extra, the politians would have to indicate clearly how much it will impact every persons tax bill. Like always, your vote has a consequence – it would just be easier for some to connect those dots!
The EdgeWoodstock Festival was poorly attended so that should be considered when looking at the survey results. Of the eight questions asked the greatest number of total responses was 24, the lowest was eight. Readers should also be aware that some attendees (including Councilman Guthrie) were actively protesting the actions of the school system during the event. Were any of the respondents answers influenced before they answered the questions by this activity? I applaud the civic mindedness of the young people involved but cannot put much faith the results of their survey.
If you can afford a $300 Iphone, $400 Beats Headphones, $85 FUBU shirt and $125 Jordans, you can certainly afford to pay $25 of your own money to play sports in Harford County.
So true. If people would spend less money, on tech gadgets, etc., they would be able to afford the $25. It’s call budgeting, establishing priorities, and setting financial goals. Very simple budgeting concepts. As my parents used to say to “us kids,” “if you can’t afford it for cash, you can’t afford it.”
…and where does the money to keep teachers employed come from if cuts are postponed for a year? Headline should read “NAACP calls on BOE to dismiss more teachers”
I am glad the NAACP Youth Council took the time to research the issues, conduct a survey and then present their findings. Excellent work and keep the pressure on the Board for its politically targeted cuts.
Please explain “politically targeted cuts.”
As a taxpayer I don’t mind paying for American citizens education. I do mind paying for illegals and extracurricular sports activities. There should be no exemptions. Any student who says they cannot afford the fee should be allowed to do school service ( maintaining the fields/equipment, painting, cleaning up after events, etc.) I wonder how many would show up?
Today’s youth are often criticized for being disinterested and uninvolved in the civic process. I would like to commend these students for taking the time to discuss and research the issues, develop and disseminate the survey, as well as have the courage to present their findings at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. Not only did they speak of their personal experiences, but they relayed how the recent policy changes have adversely affected others. Let’s hope their involvement continues.
How come Sharpton or Jackson has not protested against the NAACP? This is total BS, let’s take a look at this, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Colored People?? what am I missing here? If a non colored person used that term “Colored” a shitt storm would break out. BTW I do not know what a non colored person is, I would have to assume a non color is “White”, Is white a color? I think that it is, maybe I am mistaken. Could you imagine if a APB went out describing a crime was committed by a colored person? I am a non colored person, can I sue the NAACP due to the fact that I cannot advance and that is holding me down.
Have Not Protested, sorry to all the grammar a-holes
Oh Hedley, do you feel put upon with your substandard world view and lack of education?
Thanks for the compliment, when I receive replies such as this it reinforces my belief that my post hit home and is in fact a valet concern. BTW, I believe this is my “Friend” Mark, this is the second time you started a sentence with “Oh”. Or is Martha, and I say that because it really sounds gay, which I guess might be the case.
Or a sense of delusion causing you to believe you are more important than others.
Yo, there is no delusion, I am more important than others, smarter, mo money, better looking, and just an all around better person than all. I expect those below me not to speak unless I ax them to do so. You are below me so this applies to you.
Hedley, what does Sharpton and Jackson have to do with this issue? Matter fact your comment really has nothing to do with the issue at hand. You are doing exactly what you claim Sharpton and Jackson do, race bating.
Yup, what did George Zimmerman have to do with Sharpton, Jackson? the answer is nothing. If they can race bait I can to.
Interestingly enough, the speaker attends John Carroll and not a HCPS school…
It is nice to see the youth actually speak up. Regardless of political affiliation, you’ve been given an articulate presentation from a group of young people who come from a generation that has more often than not been the target of slander on these boards. Maybe the future isn’t as bleak as previously thought?