Document text
Rogue River students organize to raise education support despite budget crisis Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Rogue River students, fearful over the effects of more budget cuts to schools, have organized Students United for Financial Education Reform. From left are members Luke Mortinson, Jason Luchterhand, Christina Platt and Kristi Frederick. By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER - Leadership students won't let a state budget crisis threaten the existence of their high school. "We could have the state come and take over our school," worries senior Christina Platt. Platt and her classmates have decided to fight back. They have sounded a rallying cry throughout the state, organizing the grass-roots organization SUFFER - Students United for Financial Education Reform. Students are concerned about an $830 million state budget shortfall that threatens to take more than $300 million away from schools next year, amounting to roughly $470 a student. In an ever-widening circle of support, Rogue Valley students recently organized a forum with other high schools - including three in Jackson County - to muster support for their cause. SUFFER has contacted legislators, the governor, taxpayers and other students and will take a trip to Salem to lobby for education funding. The students are planning public forums, urging parents and students to demand more money for schools and looking for new taxes specifically for education. It is a fight for the survival of the school, said Principal Dave Orr. The possibility of the school district going into receivership in the next few years could become reality if the state continues to have shortfalls of $1 billion as some have predicted, he said. "Unless these kids and their parents stand up and get heard, nothing will get changed," he said. Years of budget cuts have taken their toll on Rogue River schools, pushing class sizes to as high as 48 and forcing teachers to wear many hats. "We are learning five different subjects in the same class with one teacher," said senior Jason Luchterhand. Some classes are so crowded that students must sit on the edge of the teacher's desk because they can't cram any more seats in the classroom. "They are hoping somebody calls in sick so they can have their seat," said Orr. The district is so strapped for money that the high school only has a dollar a student for supplies in English classes, said senior Greg Jentzsch. While the school has managed to push up state test scores despite these problems, students worry that the quality of their education is now at stake. The district already had planned on budget cuts of $400,000 because of enrollment declines and hikes in energy costs, insurance, salaries and benefits. With the new state budget problems, the long-term effects could be devastating, with the school cutting back or losing music, art, physical education, alternative education, agriculture, metal shop, business and athletics. "All we've been running on has been bare bones, and now they're talking about boiling the bones to make soup," said Jentzsch. In a recent brainstorming session, the students considered several options for raising money. One was imposing a 4 to 5 percent sales tax on luxury items to help fund schools. Another was taxing the some 10 million tourists who come to the state wanting gas stations to offer self-serve and passing the 4- to 5-cent additional revenue to schools. A third was imposing a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 for buying a home. Utility companies could be required to offer special rates to schools as they do in other states, the students said. Jentzsch said the students would be mindful of people on fixed incomes as they generate their ideas. The students are considering conducting a statewide candlelight vigil in which thousands of students walk quietly through neighborhoods. "Imagine the power of all these kids walking in silence through the streets," said Orr. The students will hold a community forum at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Rogue River Community Center. "It is important for us to get out there and educate the people and things will start like wildfire," said Platt. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.