Gov. Tom Corbett caused a crisis in our public schools. Now, he wants local taxpayers like us to solve it for him. His plan to fund schools with block grants would turn the problem he created into our problem.
After cutting nearly $1 billion from the public schools, his new idea is to collapse four state funding programs that work into one that doesn't.
He claims school districts will have "flexibility." But the only real flexibility would be on how to cut more programs, eliminate more extracurricular activities, increase more class sizes and lay off more teachers. And it will be our problem to solve.
The governor would lump together funding for pupil transportation and employees' Social Security taxes. School districts must pay Social Security taxes, and while student transportation is not required by state law, busing is necessary to keep students safe and get them to school.
This is just a way to tell parents, students, school board members and educators that the school funding crisis is their problem not his. I encourage legislators to find a better alternative.
Lesley M. Ventre
Duncansville
