Conservatism VS Reality

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  April 15, 2015.  In the most Republican County in the most Republican State in the nation," Bryce Huefner, school board member said, “we need to start somewhere by turning down federal money. We are the most conservative county and we should be able to take care of ourselves.”  Huefner made this statement in a plea to turn down federal funds for our local schools, as the school board discussed the approval of a Title I school-wide plan.

Over 64% of South Rich Elementary students are eligible for free and reduced lunch fees.   It is a high enough rate that all county students benefit from Title I funding which provides extra aides and more teacher involvement.   According to Dale Lamborn, Superintendent, local teachers and parents and other stake holders have developed a plan to improve the quality of education under Title I.  Reading and math programs are stressed.  There is more parent involvement with student education as parents volunteer in the SRE classrooms and students who are having academic problems have teachers who will work with them.  The federal government gives Rich School District $50,000 through the state for this enhanced program.

But Huefner objected to taking this money as he had for taking subsidies for school lunch. 

“How do you determine eligibility for reduced or free lunch?”  Huefner asked. “I think the district pushes it.   As a state and nation we continue to beg for money instead of coming up with our own solutions.”   

Reduced lunch is based on a state scale of family size and income levels.  Huefner asked if there were strict  verification of income level and was told that every file is  audited, and  families are required to show check stubs and income tax returns.  

“The district gives us about $50,000 how much does it cost to administer it?” asked Huefner.  He was told that is only a portion of a salary.

“They want this to be over what the district is spending to add benefit to the students.  This money goes to aides,” said Pete Cornia, school board chair.  “You have to play by the federal rules so if you refuse the money you have to replace them locally.”  Cornia said the feds are wasting money but not in the school.  “It is  waste to give Iraq the money to educate their kids, but spending on our own kids is not waste.”

Huefner  said that the US constitution has no requirement for the federal government being in our education system.
 

Monty Weston, school board member, said, “we can’t turn down money and then tax our own residents, one little county with so few people.  You have to get to our state elected officials and make the state turn down the money and tax the whole state so that we don’t bear the whole burden of our costs.”  Huefner voted no on accepting Title I money.

Huefner said, “give us a high WPU (weighted pupil unit) and let local people govern themselves.”  The State likes to earmark for special needs and make it single year money. The state loses control when they give a higher WPU. 

The state legislature introduced 161 bills dealing with education.  Lamborn said that 90% were unnecessary. Most are addressing things that should be addressed by the local boards or addressing single issue or special interests of single legislators .  For example, someone had a gripe against a Salt Lake School Board having a retreat in Park City, so they passed a bill outlawing school boards from retreats outside their district.