Opinion
Funding choices
The services provided by a program that places social workers in Lawrence schools would seem to rank pretty high on the list of budget priorities.
July 29, 2007
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Although officials at Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center aren't panicked - yet - it seems that funding for the center's program to help at-risk students once again is in jeopardy.
The WRAP program, which stands for Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities, has enough money to operate through the fall semester in Lawrence schools, but its fate after that will depend heavily on the "three-legged stool" of funding supplied by the city, county and school district. That stool seems in danger of collapse if the Lawrence school board can't find its share of funding for the program.
Douglas County commissioners already have included $225,000 in WRAP funding in their budget plans. City commissioners are looking at a $250,000 commitment to the program. But both commissions say they may rethink that funding if the school district doesn't pick up its share of the cost.
That all depends, district leaders say, on how much money is needed to pay district teachers. Until contract negotiations are concluded, they won't know about the WRAP funding, but they said last week, it doesn't look good.
This seems to set up a contest between teacher pay and the WRAP program, but the school district's budget is far more complicated than that. And like everyone who puts together a budget, the school district must set priorities and make choices based on what it thinks is most important for local schools.
Those aren't easy choices to make, but many people in the local district would say that the services WRAP provides to about 3,000 students in the Lawrence district would rank pretty high. These are students of all ages who are experiencing problems at home or at school or both that get in the way of their growth and success. WRAP social workers help them find their way through those problems.
How important is that to the Lawrence district? Some people would say it's more important than the full range of extracurricular and sports activities available to Lawrence students. Although many education experts agree on the importance of early childhood intervention, some even would say WRAP is more important than the implementation of full-day kindergarten in eight Lawrence schools.
It's easy to understand why city and county government would consider withdrawing its WRAP funding if the schools opt out. This is, after all, a school program, notwithstanding one school board member's contention that the schools must concentrate on education and leave public health to the city and county.
If the district chooses not to fund this program, it is saying that there is nothing in its budget that is less important than the services WRAP provides to those 3,000 students. Maybe they're right, but many district patrons would think otherwise.
More like this
- Future of WRAP funding in doubt 61 comments / July 25, 2007
- S A WRAP FOR PROGRAM WITHOUT FUNDS March 20, 1999
- WRAP program seeks funding June 20, 2000
- City, county, school officials face tough funding choices 27 comments / June 9, 2007
- City, county to fund school WRAP program July 19, 2006
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29 July 2007
at 5:36 a.m.
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merrill (Anonymous) says…
Fund WRAP! Take back that .25 mill levy reduction.
29 July 2007
at 10:13 a.m.
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…
I hope the school board reads this letter very carefully.
29 July 2007
at 4:24 p.m.
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KsTwister (Anonymous) says…
With or without the WRAP program ; would not 3,000 distressed kids point the need for the school to change the way they are addressing this problem before this time? I am finding some opposition to WRAP and such things as an extra week of art projects at the end of the school year. Some counselors are getting better reviews than one schools WRAP workers. I say if the program is REALLY that desirable then fund it out of the entire school budget then we see who speaks the truth. Unless your sports are really much more important or the buildings for your administration(ie McDonald Drive).
29 July 2007
at 4:38 p.m.
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…
Hawk,
You have no idea what WRAP workers do or what they are for. WRAP is for all kids, every kid in the school district who wants to talk to someone about anything - school, home or some idiot in the paper who doesn't have a clue. WRAP workers often work with the school counselors for preventative measures to bullying, and other issues that affect kids.
Get a clue or stop talking about something you obviously no nothing about.
29 July 2007
at 7:38 p.m.
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Pogo (Anonymous) says…
WRAP is a johnny come lately program; an after thought which thost that seek to further inject feminist politics into our school system brought forth for feather bedding.
The program has been an intrusion into the lives of the lower socio economic groups of our community and has been used to insidiously invade the privacy of those very same people and their families. It's also been a boondoggle for “single parent families” which means, typically, that there is no male in the home. That's an entirely different issue and there's not enough space here to discuss that reality. Is this fact because our Family Court system is controlled by the County's Chief Social Worker (judge) who has a rather unctuous reputation in our community for giving the male side of the family a square deal in “her” court…..and here I always Court was for the people and not owned by the “judge”. Again….a whole other issue.
hawkperched makes a very valid point: 33% of our public school students are in need of mental health intervention? I don't think so. Rather, I think “professionals” and “para-professionals” need a paycheck and the likes of Bert Nash and DCCCA, Inc. need to do the job they're presently being paid for with current tax dollars. The fluffy touchy feely mantra which has taken over not only our schools but our entire social service delivery systems city, county, state, and nation wide is a disgrace.
The WRAP program wraps the poverty pimps of our community in a blanket of cash which has little or no actual accountability. Yes, “they” produce numbers….but those numbers may have come off of “Wheel of Fortune”: They mean nothing. I strongly suspect the vast majority of “program” recipients are single parent homes as we've noted above. Why is that?
If the WRAP program is needed in Lawrence then let the leadership of these street based vendors step forward and give back a percentage of the huge and atrocious salaries they are paid. Do not raise the taxes on my home. I guess the taxes on tobacco and alcohol could be raised as could the corresponding taxes associated with the purchase of alcohol in eating places raised. Maybe a tax could be placed on the medication being prescribed like candy for these poor children could be instituted; I really don't know or care. Maybe, even, the parents of these errant children could become more involved in the lives of these affected kids and the child like adult parents recognize they have a responsibility which doesn't stop at 8am when school starts.
WRAP doesn't deal with bullying in the schools. Bullying is to be dealt with by school administrators. More to follow.
29 July 2007
at 7:47 p.m.
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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…
Maybe the district should require parenting classes. There are too many parents who are screwing up their children.
29 July 2007
at 8:15 p.m.
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mom_of_three (Anonymous) says…
Once again, Pogo, you have no idea of what you are speaking of.
The kids the WRAP program helps comes from all economic groups, not just from the lower class. The WRAP workers provides all sorts of assistance to the schools. Especially helpful is the services provided to the junior highs for the transition from elementary schools.
From the LHS student handbook
“The WRAP Program's purpose is to promote school success and positive experiences for all students at LHS. This is a joint effort between USD #397 and Bert Nash Mental Health Center. WRAP staff is available for all students and deal with a variety of non-academic issues including crisis intervention, absences, discipline referrals, and truancy.”
I sure would hate for the services to be gone in the instance your kids might need them.
29 July 2007
at 11:09 p.m.
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dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…
The WRAP helped our son. My husband adopted our son before we met. He had been abused in the womb (alcoholic birth mother), and after (neglect and injuries). So this bimbo, alcoholic mother didn't get an abortion, which many of you on this forum think is the best course. She created a child with problems, which my husband and I took on. With the help of the adoption agreement (medical card), WRAP, Bert Nash, and a lot of wonderful Lawrence teachers and our neighbors, he graduated from high school and is now headed to JCCC. Isn't it funny that all you anti-choice people also want to abandon those children after they are born. The social programs in our schools have diverted a lot of kids from problems that could be visited upon you, if they had decided to turn to a life of crime. Better to invest in the care of our youth now, rather than become their victims later. By the way, we are caring parents, both professionals, and while not rich, we are far from the poverty level.