http://nujournal.com/page/content.detail/id/526558/District-88-referendum-fails.html?nav=5009So since yesterday was obviously election day, a referendum was introduced that would provide my district with enough money to keep things running remotely smooth as they are now. Things were never great for this school financially, but everybody seems to think this entire town (of about 13,500) just went down the stuffter because this referendum didn't go through.
From what I've heard, it would've gotten money through taxes that went directly into school funds for sports, extracurricular stuff, and whatever else. Unfortunately, since our district has already taken enormous blows from state funding, we still needed more money. It didn't pass and now next year will be cut waaay back to basics.
Choir, most sports, and others have been discontinued for next year, that's a certain. Rumors have been spreading that the cuts will extend to the shops and agriculture departments, meaning we will no longer have Auto Tech, metals or woods shop, or ag class. The teachers will be laid off. Sports might be altogether stopped. Many, many elective classes will be cut - core classes will continue but the rest will be study hall or open-campus study time for seniors. This hasn't been confirmed though, however its a definite possibility.
My shop teacher said he graduated in '77 and the district and this town have just gone downhill ever since. He said the sign has said outside of town that the population has stayed at 13,000 since he was a kid. The percent of households with children used to be around 65% but has dropped to around 20%. We talked in geography how these budget cuts could potentially literally kill our town.
So yeah. Just thought that was interesting and worth sharing. :o
