Louisville Magazine is Louisville's city magazine, covering Louisville people, lifestyles, politics, sports, restaurants, entertainment and homes. Includes a monthly calendar of events.
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Economics of the Classroom By Jenni Laidman Illustration by Steven Dana Running an elementary, middle or high school classroom or activity involves more than diligence and brainpower. It also involves a teacher's wallet. T eachers all over Jefferson County fuel an underground economy — in their classrooms. While we kvetch about the cost of educa- tion, talk to any teacher, in any school dis- trict, and even in many private schools, and you will encounter a member of this peda- gogic black market, opening her wallet to help your kids learn. Sometimes, and especially in the best- funded schools, the money pays for the little extras — the super-fantastic bulletin-board decorations, neat little prizes to hand out as rewards, and even stuffed animals for your kindergartner to read to. But often, the mon- ey pays for better, more imaginative lessons, transportation for extracurricular activities, and, occasionally, food for empty stomachs. While Jefferson County Public School ad- ministrators say there is seldom a real reason for teachers, whose salaries start out at about $40,000, to spend their own money, and JCPS board member Linda Duncan, a for- mer teacher and assistant principal, says that the spending she did as a teacher was more convenience than necessity, today's teachers see little of the spending they do as optional. If they don't kick in, they say, kids will go without dinner, some kids won't be able to participate in sports, some won't have note- books and pens, and ideas for creative lessons will be crushed by the red tape of paperwork. Take Karen McCoy, who teaches science and engineering at Meyzeek Middle School. [76] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 11.12