Why?Perhaps because there's

plenty of posted information available on the trial-and-error moves of

year-round school and objections to it would be sudden and numerous. Of

course, some proponents of Plan 1 are innocently pursuing personal interest

(such as having time during the school year for seasonal vacations) or

merely just following the leader without examining or taking long-term

effects of year-round school into consideration.

Board members continue to deny

that "balanced" means year-round school (see the FCBOE website).So,

what are they trying to balance? It's certainly not the budget. As Janet

Smola questioned the construction contractor at the March 18 meeting,

it was clear that she wanted this contractor to do whatever it takes to

squeeze in all the maintenance and construction needs during the shortened

summers.

He obviously took cues from

Smola and wanted to keep his county contract.He found a way to do it:His

company could go with the shortened summers by potentially increasing

cost and single projects could be spread out over more than one summer.

For instance, carpeting a high school could be done piecemeal (that is,

one area one summer and another area the next summer) and so on.

Why does the board want to

squeeze out summer at any price?There's plenty of information available

as to why year-round balanced calendars cost much more; and it's not just

in potentially problematical maintenance and construction constrictions

and possible cost increases to perform the usual requirements. Taxpayers

in Fayette County should see a problem with a year-round "balanced"

calendar phase in.

Another month has been granted

if Plan 3 gets any backing.Plan 3 leaves the start date at Aug. 11, but

grants a full week off for school children at Thanksgiving.Never mind

that most parents only get two days off.

Coweta County has returned

to the traditional calendar.

Perhaps there's still time

for Fayette County residents to learn from the mistakes of others and

reject the balanced year-round school calendar before full implementation.But

only if concerned resident taxpayers, parents, business leaders, ministers,

and sensible teachers and school administrators make their voices heard

loud and clear.

Kathie Prado

Peachtree City