Tight budgets make for tough questions in Loudon County

Wednesday afternoon, Loudon County commissioners debated how to spend what money they have on their school system.

Their central question: What's more important, the present, or the future, of Loudon County schools?

The proposed $38 million school budget is in defecit by about $790,000.

County commissioners face the task of balancing it. That is, if they decide to.

The reason they wouldn't is reflected in the mirrors above a sink at Fort Loudoun Middle School

Their reflection reveals flat screen computers on the other side of the room.

That's because the current math lab is actually the former girl's locker room.

"We are overcrowded. We have classes in locker rooms. I share an office with my assistant principal. Several of us have to share classrooms," said Fort Loudoun Middle School Principal Tiffany Ratledge.

Educators argue the effects of such overcrowding go far beyond the aesthetics of taking class next to toilet stalls.

"If you've got kids in what used to be restrooms or locker rooms, and you're trying to instruct them, that's not going to work too well," said Loudon County Director of Schools Wayne Honeycutt.

"When you're overcrowded and your students ar on top of each other, it makes learning very difficult," Ratledge said.

A few miles from the locker room math lab, county commissioners did a little math of their own.

The numbers to either fix up the school along with others, including Greenback Middle School, or simply keep the schools running, just don't add up.

"These two questions have to be considered together," said Loudon County Commissioner Austin Shaver.

The two questions are whether to put money aside for a $47 million school building program or spend almost $800,000 to simply operate the school system for the next year.

Simply buying new science textbooks for the schools, which need to be updated this year, is set to cost over $400,000.

"The school's operating increase, if it's accepted in full, will all but put an end to the school building programs," Shaver said.

Others opposed to dishing out the money for the operating costs say the money could be used to secure necessary loans for the building programs.

"If we approve this $790,000, it's $10 million less that we'll have for the school building program," said Commissioner Don Miller.

However, those focused on this year say, new buildings or not, no students can learn without the programs and the people who teach them.

"We need to take care of the schools, the children, the programs, and the teachers first," Commissioner Nancy Marcus said.

Mr. Honeycutt says if they don't get the $790,000, programs, and potentially jobs, face cuts.

Loudon County commissioners will vote on the school budget at their meeting October 12th.