Taxpayers Furious Over High School TV's-42 Inch Flat Screens In Lunchroom

[matcom]

<snip>

Muskego - Muskego-Norway School Board member Rick Petfalski first heard about eight new 42-inch flat-screen TVs hanging in the high school lunchroom from a furious taxpayer.

"She was asking me if I'm crazy. Why would I allow such spending? Did I know this is taxpayer money?" Petfalski said. "I didn't know what she was talking about. I said, 'Are you sure? Are you sure you're talking about the cafeteria, not some other part of the building, some education center or something?' "

She was sure.

The TVs, costing $20,300, were in fact installed in the cafeteria in late March during spring break.

Petfalski later saw them for himself.

"I don't think there's even a sports bar in Milwaukee that has that kind of setup. I think that's where I'm going to watch the NCAA basketball games this year," Petfalski joked after criticizing the expenditure as "not a choice I would have made." He said he'd introduced a new policy to the board that would alert members to large capital expenditures.

Petfalski preferred the money be spent improving the science lab or on something else that would "enhance the quality of education."

High School Principal Dennis Bussen defended the purchase in a memo to Superintendent Richard Drury.

"I believe that this system will serve our students, parents, staff and community in a number of ways," wrote Bussen, who did not return calls seeking an interview Thursday.

For one, community groups can use the space for presentations to groups as large as 400 people. The space also can be used to show graduation ceremonies live "so that if an elderly grandparent or others choose to not sit in the bleachers, they may watch and hear the ceremony live in the cafeteria," the memo reads. In addition, during lunch, students can watch replays of athletic events and musical productions, maybe even tune into the news on CNN. Student announcements may also scroll across the screens, and staff can use the equipment for training.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/apr05/318522.asp

[Hugin]

1. Well, if it's technically a Civic Center...

Not so bad... But, I'd hold them to it.

Public Access.

[Neshanic]

2. Principal Bussen needs a new job. Unfreakingbelievable.

"In addition, during lunch, students can watch replays of athletic events and musical productions, maybe even tune into the news on CNN."

Or watch Jan and Paul Crouch, busking for cash and souls.

[Lorien]

3. I'd be pissed, too

You could hire a part time teacher for that kind of money. Plus, there's simply no reason to have TVs-let alone high end TVs- in a lunchroom.

[Worst Username Ever]

4. They couldn't do all those things on standard televisions?

Jesus, a regular old non flat-screen costs about 350 dollars now. Throw in another 100 for a high quality TV stand. Ridiculous spending, the hallmark of this administration. They could have almost hired another teacher for that amount of cash.

[Abelman]

5. Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?

This shit is absolutely ridiculous. You know what doesn't belong in a lunchroom? A fucking TV. We've got one in ours and I fucking hate it. Every single meal it's on and no one talks. No one has fun conversations. No, they watch asinine America's Funniest Videos and laugh their asses off at old men getting hit in the crotch with footballs.

We don't allow other drugs in school, why television? This the worst damn thing I've ever seen a school do. Ridiculous.

I can't even for cogent thoughts. It just angers me.
:mad: