WO-C CISD to revisit transportation issue

[KFDM COOP]

WO-C CISD to revisit transportation issue

Tommy Mann, Jr.

The Orange Leader

A standing room only crowd gathered inside the board room of the West Orange-Cove Administration Tuesday night and let their voices be heard.

At the Nov. 24 meeting of the West Orange-Cove Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees, board members approved a transportation cutback by a vote of 6 to 1 which would take effect Jan. 1, 2009.

The cutback would reportedly save the district approximately $25,862 per year, according to Laidlaw Transportation, and would affect mostly students involved in the district’s athletic programs.

For more than 30 years, the district has transported students home who are involved in sporting events, practices, and various other competitions and programs.

“As of now, the original vote of the Trustees stands,†said Dr. O. Taylor Collins. “It is up to the Trustees to determine if the will put the matter on the agenda again, and I believe they may do so.â€

Collins knows many people were unhappy with the school board’s decision to cut the post-game, practice and event transportation, but this was not a decision the board made lightly.

“The need to make drastic cuts is paramount,†Collins added. “The district is at a point where we have to cut our budget in order to balance it. Teaching and educating the students come first. The problems the kids might face with the transportation issue could possibly be handled other ways, such as booster club fundraising or parents car-pooling.â€

According to the school district, 16 people signed up to speak during the public comments section of Tuesday’s school board meeting. However, according to school board rules, if a large number of people wish to speak about the same topic, they must elect a person to head their cause.

Four people were able to address and inform board members of the possible impact it would have on the students, community and athletics program. Those speakers were community member, Eric Guillory; a local pastor, Lionel Hayes Jr.; and coaches Dan Hooks and Cornel Thompson.

Pete Amy, president of the Board of Trustees, said he was impressed with the number of people who turned out to voice their opinion on this subject and with the coaches for researching the figures and providing their own findings.

“We will put this item on the agenda for our January meeting,†Amy said. “We did find some errors in the estimated savings Coach Hooks and the Athletic Department provided us, but we will look over their figures some more and see what comes out of it.â€

Laidlaw, the school district’s transportation source, estimated a savings of more than $25,000. Hooks and the department contest that amount with their own figures which stated the cutback would only save the district approximately $9,300.

According to Amy, the district’s priority has always been education and improving test scores. Making sure funding is available to continue that pursuit is what Amy said is prompting the need for these cuts.

Earlier this year, West Orange-Cove CISD was informed by the state it would seek to recapture money from the district it reportedly overpaid following Hurricane Rita. Damages from Hurricane Ike have not helped.

“We need to watch every penny we spend right now,†Amy added. “A lot of the $4 million loss in our fund balance is due to the recapture of funds by the state, but we have spent in excess of $2 million because of Hurricane Ike, which may or may not be covered by our insurance or FEMA.â€

After hearing the passionate and informative speeches from the public and coaches at Tuesday’s meeting, board member Nancy Byers suggested Trustees revisit the subject at the next meeting.

“We can understand their passion about these cutbacks,†Amy said. “But we have to take steps before we reach a point where it’s too late.â€

Hooks, the West Orange-Cove athletics director and Mustangs head football coach, said the impact to the athletics program could prove catastrophic.

“We went to every coach at every level and found out how many buses are used in the morning and the evening and how many students are involved,†Hooks said. “We found some discrepancies with Laidlaw’s report. Some routes didn’t have as many students as they claimed, and there was one that was not even being run.â€

Hooks said it was great to see the number of parents and community members attend Tuesday’s meeting in hopes of getting the board to reconsider its previous decision.

“I appreciate the board for reviewing this matter and agreeing to take another look at it,†Hooks added. “The impact could prove devastating to our lower level programs. I just want to do what’s right and what is best for the kids.â€

[Guest LCM Volleyball]

They'll change it back!!

[adminbaberuth]

They'll change it back!!

That means you approve, LCM ?

[skipper]

coach hooks could run for mayor and i  do  belive he would win .mr hooks loves his kids and will fight to the end for them and there parents

[77]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

[adminbaberuth]

coach hooks could run for mayor and i  do  belive he would win .mr hooks loves his kids and will fight to the end for them and there parents

Us in the sports community know and respect Coach Hooks and Coach Thompson for what they have done for WOS football. But it seems the school district or school board seems to forget.

TD has to take up himself to fix the sign, the turf is voted down and now they take the buses away. 

[skipper]

77 thats something to think about

[Slam14]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

;D ;D

[rabbit ears]

They better think long and hard before they take away this transporation service.

WOS has been providing this for years. It is a service that is expected and needs to be provided.

I can tell you that some of those board members in closed session talked about how the ' kids will get their rides, and if they can't the coaches can take them to and from practice and games'.

But I promise you what will happen one day or night is that 7 or 8 kids will pile into the back of a pickup to get home and there will be a wreck. When 1,2, 6 or all of them die and this could have been avoided, those board members wont be able to move out of town fast enough.

This is a huge issue. It would almost be better to axe a sport or two then eliminate their safe transportation service.

  It's chump change they are talking about.

There is a disaster looming. The WOS school board BETTER realize this.

[AggiesAreWe]

My guess, yeah they'll revisit the issue, but the vote will stay the same. Their hands are tied, they are being forced to cut costs, it's just that simple. The transportation is a luxury, one that no other school district is doing anymore, and with the shape of what WOS is in, it was a necessary move to cut that service.

I believe that WOS will get through this okay. It is a shame that it had to be cut, but when cutting costs, like many are having to do these days, you have to do what's necessary.

[rabbit ears]

I just saw on the news where some of the police forces in Los Angeles are cutting cost by no longer passing out Christmas gifts to needy children. The City Council approved this and said would save LA taxpayers an estimated $30,000 to $60,000 dollars anually.

  Police Chief Bratton stated how 'short sighted and stupid' this decision is. How 8-10 years from now 'maybe a certain youngster doesnt pull the trigger because of the kindness showed to him by police when he was young'.

  The WOS school board is doing EXACTLY the same thing. When funeral arrangements are being made because of this 'stupid ' decision. What will be said then??

    This decision is short sighted, is not in the best intrest of the student, and the money being saved is very little.

   

[77]

They better think long and hard before they take away this transporation service.

WOS has been providing this for years. It is a service that is expected and needs to be provided.

I can tell you that some of those board members in closed session talked about how the ' kids will get their rides, and if they can't the coaches can take them to and from practice and games'.

But I promise you what will happen one day or night is that 7 or 8 kids will pile into the back of a pickup to get home and there will be a wreck. When 1,2, 6 or all of them die and this could have been avoided, those board members wont be able to move out of town fast enough.

This is a huge issue. It would almost be better to axe a sport or two then eliminate their safe transportation service.

  It's chump change they are talking about.

There is a disaster looming. The WOS school board BETTER realize this.

What sport would you like to axe Rabbit ? bet its not football.

[td]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

The people that were there were not the ones that needed a ride for their kids. At least that's true in my case. You see you can't just look out for your kids. You have to look out for all of the kids. There are people out there that either don't have the time or interest or maybe they are to nervous to go in front of a crowd, maybe they feel intimidated. Who knows what the reason is. Maybe they just flat out don't give a ........ Whatever the reason is, the kid is the one being punished and someone has to take up for what's right. That's what people do that really care about WOCCISD.

[td]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

;D ;D

They take away our athletics and not only will they lose the kids that need a ride but I will be the first to go. I wonder if LCM would mix in a little blue and silver? 

[rabbit ears]

I do NOT want to axe any sport. But this is a HUGE issue. This is a safety issue.

Kids will be kids, and when 10 of them pile into the back of a pickup because they dont have a safe ride home you have now got a tragedy in the making.

What will happen when that wreck happens???

It will happen, and it is 100% avoidable.

As for the sport cuts which I do NOT want but I would place far before the safe transportation home cuts it would start with powerlifting(not a UIL sport), then soccer or track( co-ed title9).

[hjhawks]

The hidden issue is that many kids will ride the bus home after school in the spring....  This means less kids staying afterschool and going to the weight room!

[td]

The hidden issue is that many kids will ride the bus home after school in the spring....  This means less kids staying afterschool and going to the weight room!

That's not the hidden issue at all. What about the track kids? The baseball kids? The softball kids? My oldest child is just 15 and she doesn't need a ride, ever. Stop looking for something underhanded. It's not there. Can't we just care about the kids?

[77]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

;D ;D

They take away our athletics and not only will they lose the kids that need a ride but I will be the first to go. I wonder if LCM would mix in a little blue and silver?    If your really concerned about the kids than why would you leave if there were no athletics?

[td]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

;D ;D

They take away our athletics and not only will they lose the kids that need a ride but I will be the first to go. I wonder if LCM would mix in a little blue and silver?    If your really concerned about the kids than why would you leave if there were no athletics?

Because I have kids. My boys enjoy sports and my daughter enjoys cheering.  My kids don't need a ride and I think all athletics are important. There are so many things to be learned from athletics other than the particular sport. If I left it doesn't mean I would stop caring and trying to do what's right at WOS. I have alot of time invested in alot of kids there. I actually go into the school every single day and I care about the kids that are there.

[stangchain]

From the first post and the discrepancies of the two amounts given, perhaps the board needs to look at the Laidlaw situation.  Why is a bus being reported as running, but is not?  Maybe the board could save some money by auditing Laidlaw's charges.....

It's just a thought....

[mjones830]

I just saw on the news where some of the police forces in Los Angeles are cutting cost by no longer passing out Christmas gifts to needy children. The City Council approved this and said would save LA taxpayers an estimated $30,000 to $60,000 dollars anually.

   Police Chief Bratton stated how 'short sighted and stupid' this decision is. How 8-10 years from now 'maybe a certain youngster doesnt pull the trigger because of the kindness showed to him by police when he was young'.

  The WOS school board is doing EXACTLY the same thing. When funeral arrangements are being made because of this 'stupid ' decision. What will be said then??

    This decision is short sighted, is not in the best intrest of the student, and the money being saved is very little.

   

Your not serious about this statement I hope.  If you are what are you trying to say.

[77]

Thats a ridiculous statement!

[mjones830]

Thats great that so many could show up and show their concern about this issue I think the board will rethink their decision, I just wonder why that many folks can show up for the meeting but cant show up to pick up their kids?

;D ;D

Bus

[skipper]

bus

[Guest jackbquick]

I understand that this seems to be a major issue for WOS but most other schools in this area do not offer this service. I am saying this because I do believe that if kids want to play they will find a way.... that's life. When I was in high school I was at both ends of this issue, although I had a 2 parent family both worked many hours and I had to find rides many times. I also worked when I could along with school and practice and managed to save my money for a down payment and then guess what I began returning the favor and bringing as many people as I could fit into my car home after practice. Again I believe that athletics does teach alot about life situations and one is that life is not always fair and if you want something in life sometimes you need to find ways to make things work, but they have also got to learn that everything is not always given to you.