Time is now to ‘end little town chiefdoms’

The future of education at Shore Regional High School doesn’t look too encouraging. The voters have defeated the budget in three of the last five years.

Many other school systems across the nation are also experiencing the same thing.

The effect of budget cuts, federal underfunding, and anti-tax crusaders have left public schools facing the worst funding crisis in history.

One example of where we may be heading is the Oregon system — at one time one of the nation’s best — which is now imploding with 38 students in a geometry class, shortened school year, cuts in sports and other after-school programs, reduced electives, sports pay-to-play averaging $500 per sport, and one guidance position for every 350 students.

The results of these cuts will have long-reaching effects on all.

The voters of Oceanport, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, and West Long Branch hopefully will not follow the same path as Oregon.

They need to be convinced they are getting their money’s worth. It is time for the Boards of Education of these towns to get out of their "comfort zone" and conduct a feasibility study on a total regionalization of our school system to find out the facts.

A school system under one Board of Education and one central office dealing with grades K-12 will most likely be far more educationally sound and a lot less expensive. Now is the time to end these little town chiefdoms so everyone can benefit.

Ed Kelly

West Long Branch