The Akron City School Board approved a budget granting raises ranging from 4.5 to 7 percent Wednesday, before deciding to continue using science books that discuss evolution, not creationism.
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June 5, 2008 · 2 Comments
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Amy West // June 10, 2008 at 10:21 am |
The Akron School Board voted Thursday night to raise the budget by 5 percent, and decided to keep current biology books after a debate on the teaching of creationism and evolution.
The approved budget totals $618.7 million, including pay raises for school district employees. Teachers received a 4.5 percent raise, administrators received a 6 percent raise and the superintendent received a 7 percent raise.
The budget also provides $9.3 million for a new elementary school that will open in two years.
Board member Umberto Vacante proposed the elimination of remedial summer classes to save an estimated $2.1 million. He said they were too expensive and “serve only about 900 students each summer.”
Superintendent Greg Hubbard disagreed.
“Some of these summer students have learning disabilities and emotional problems, and they really need the help. This would hurt them terribly. Without it, they might never graduate.”
The board voted 7-2 to keep the summer classes for one more year, and asked the staff to study the matter.
Following the budget discussion, about 100 angry parents debated the issue of creationism in the curriculum.
Parent Claire Sawyer said, “We’ve seen your biology books. I don’t want my children using them. They never mention the theory of creationism.”
Harley Euon, another parent, replied: “Evolution isn’t a theory. It’s proven fact. Creationism is a religious idea, not even a scientific theory. People here are trying to force schools to teach our children their religion.”
Parent Roy Cross agreed with Euon, saying, “People can teach creationism in their homes and churches. It’s not the school’s job.”
After the debate, the board voted 6-3 to continue using the current textbook, and encouraged parents to talk to their children about religion at home.
The school board also awarded certificates to seven retiring teachers: Shirley Dawsun, Carmen Foucault, Lonnie McEwen, Nina Paynich, Kenneth Satava, Harley Sawyer and Nancy Lee Scott.
The board also praised ADDITIONS, 897 adult volunteers who put in 38,288 total hours of free time assisting the neighborhood schools.
Megan Schlegel // June 10, 2008 at 10:00 am |
The Akron City School Board unanimously approved a $618.7 million budget for next year during a Thursday meeting that included a vote to continue using current biology textbooks that do not involve creationism.
The budget increased 5 percent from last year. It includes a 4.5 percent raise for teachers, a 6 percent raise for administrators, a 7 percent raise for the superintendent and funds for a new $9.3 million elementary school. The elementary school will be built on West Madison Ave. It will be completed and opened in two years.
The board discussed remedial summer classes as well. The district would save an estimated $2.1 million by eliminating the classes.
“They’re just too expensive, especially when you consider we only serve about 900 students each summer,” board member Umberto Vacante said.
Vacante suggested that the money spent on summer school would be better used to reward talented students. “They’re the ones we ignore,” he said.
Superintendent Greg Hubbard noted, “Some of the summer students have learning disabilities and emotional problems, and they really need the help. This would hurt them terribly. Without it, they might never graduate.”
The board voted 7-2 to keep summer classes for one more year, but asked staff members see how beneficial summer classes are.
Thursday’s meeting also included a debate about current biology textbooks. The one-hour hearing involved nearly 100 parents discussing the fact that the current textbooks only included evolution and not creationism.
“We’ve seen your biology books,” said parent Claire Sawyer. “I don’t want my children using them. They never even mention the theory of creationism.”
Other parents had different thoughts on the matter.
“Evolution isn’t a theory. It’s a proven fact. Creationism is a religious idea, not even a scientific theory,” responded Harley Euon.
Roy Cross agreed. “People can teach creationism in their homes and churches. It’s not the school’s job.”
After the debate, the board voted 6-3 to continue using the current textbooks, but encouraged parents to discuss the matter with their children in their homes.
The school board recognized the following retiring teachers: Shirley Dawsun, Carmen Foucault, Lonnie McEwen, Nina Paynich, Kenneth Satava, Harley Sawyer and Nancy Lee Scott. All retirees received a certificate of appreciation.
Finally, the board adopted a resolution praising the school system’s ADDITIONS. ADDITIONS is a group of adult volunteers who assist neighborhood schools. According to Hubbard, 897 members volunteered 38,288 hours last year.