Jul 16, 2002 3 min read

Dear Editor: We have heard for the past two years how broke the Brownsville Area School District is, that we are inches away from the state taking over. The district has asked for freezes. They have had layoffs. They have closed schools, yet they have no teacher contracts or SEIU contracts. They have not allowed any overtime. They have 12-year-old textbooks, and the high school backs up with raw sewage.

But when it comes to administrators, the attitude is no holds barred. The school’s superintendent, Dr. Gerri Grant, and the majority of the school board created a position for a retired employee to the tune of $45,000 for a 95-day job. There are many qualified teachers in our district that could handle this position, but they did not want to hear that. This breaks down to $468 a day; pretty good pay for a broke school district. I have questioned this time after time and have been told the money will not come out of the general fund, but will come out of Title money. What’s the difference? It is still tax dollars.

At the last school board meeting when I questioned their expenditures, Dr. Grant pulled out a blue sheet of paper broken down into categories, stating that with all of the cuts from last year the school district saved more than $950,000.

Dr. Grant why do we still have a $926,000 deficit? I keep asking but I do not get an answer.

The board passed a budget with a 12-mill increase and did not address the deficit. That is a 30 percent increase in your school tax. By the way, the following week was a payday and all the administrators got their 4 percent raises. No one else did.

So here we are with a 12-mill increase, no contracts and crowded conditions, but we are hiring architects and project managers and administrators we do not need. I’ll tell you one thing, something stinks in the Brownsville Area School District and it’s not only the raw sewage at the high school.

Nena Kaminsky

Brownsville

Fight for grandparents’ rights

Dear Editor:

I am writing this so that everyone can get involved in this important cause.

I am a grandmother who wants to see the law passed for grandparents’ rights. Although the law is in effect in other states, unfortunately it is not in Pennsylvania. I feel that everyone needs to be aware of this very important issue.

I have received more than 150 signatures in support of passing this law. I have also spoken with many people who have shared their experiences of not being able to see their grandchildren.

I am a grandmother of two, and I have a mission. I feel compelled to fight for this law, not only for myself but also for all grandparents.

I realize that there are many channels to go through. I have taken the first step toward this goal by contacting state Rep. Larry Roberts. Now, I am asking everyone to join me in fighting for this cause. One voice can sometimes go unheard, but thousands of voices will be listened to. If anyone wishes to be involved in this fight, please contact me at Lorie4486@hotmail.com.

Norma McCourt

Fairchance