The Scio Central School District is using tax dollars met to educate the districts children to subsidize a private organization while cutting education programs.

This spring the Scio Board of Education voted to cut a science class, which counted as a second science credit for graduation, because the administration claimed taxes may have to be raised to continue it. Now, this fall, after reviewing an incomplete cost analyses, the Scio BOE has voted to continue to pick up the costs associated with the Nitro’s Baseball Team using the school facilities. Cutting educational classes, asking teachers to limit or eliminate education field trips, asking teachers to limit or eliminate attending conferences which enhance their effectiveness to teach, while paying expenses for a private organization with money met for education.

What does it cost: Supervisors (crowd control) before, during, and after games $1350.00, Lime $68.60, Field Paint $77.00, Turface $96.50, Lighting Field $310.00, Total $1902.10. Is this the true cost, No. Building and grounds maintenance personal are paid their hourly wage plus benefits to prepare and maintain the field before and after games when there is other work they could be doing. What about the electric cost of running the concession stand?

Who benefits, certainly not the students at least not educationally. A select few benefit, maintenance personal (extra work), those who are chosen to supervise the games (one of whom is already ready receiving a salary from the district), any one associated with the Nitro’s (the less they pay out the more they can pay themselves).

Who suffers, the students who will not go on field trips designed to broaden and enrich their minds, the students who will not have the benefit of having a teacher who is up to date on the latest teaching techniques, the teachers who will be help responsible for low test scores, the tax payer who believes their money is being spent wisely, the community which will suffer an even greater brain drain (the greater the education level of a community the higher its standard of living is - better jobs, better pay, more small business)

Who cares, apparently no one!