If you give the Troup County School System — TCSS — $3 million they will spend every last penny of it, and more, just like a kid in a candy store.

I am referring to the article in the LDN on May 17 entitled “School system looks at bigger budget.” Year after year, the TCSS cries the blues that they have a budget deficit. Miraculously, we never encounter the feared deficit.

Just like last year, the TCSS received millions of dollars, and what did they immediately do? Spent every last penny of the windfall receipts. Again this year, they are receiving another $3 million windfall, and instead of saving for a “rainy day” and building their reserves, they have already planned to spend every penny of it.

I nearly fainted when I read this quote: “It’s not new money, it’s just money we haven’t had for 15 years.” WHAT???

Several areas should raise concerns. The school board has approved over $700,000 to contract with Willard Daggett to show our teachers how to teach with “rigor and relevance,” whatever that means. Apparently, no research was done by anyone concerning this man.

Another concern is that the TCSS plans to increase school administration by $410,000. Like we don’t have enough administration costs and waste currently.

$150,000 will go to the Troup County commissioners for one School Resource Officer — SRO — at Callaway High, Callaway Middle and Long Cane Middle schools. That’s $50,000 each! A lot of teachers and para-pros don’t make $50,000 a year!

Many of these teachers spend countless hours before and after school preparing for lessons, grading papers and completing paperwork. And we wonder what some of the reasons are for our low teacher morale and extremely high teacher turnover.

Tommy Callaway

LaGrange