May 3, 2007 — Education officials largely pointed to the Office of Management and Budget when the controversial issue of schools canceling interscholastic athletic travel at the last minute came up during a Thursday hearing of the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Youth in Frederiksted.
It was an information-gathering hearing, in which acting Education Commissioner Lauren Larsen and other Education officials briefed senators on the state of V.I. education and answered senators’ questions about policy and finances.
Several times during the hearing, Sen. Liston Davis, the committee's chairman, reiterated his belief that talk-radio discussions of the interscholastic travel controversy were inaccurate.
"It is important to take the pulse of the people involved," Davis said. "It’s important to have information to address the concerns adequately and not base our concerns on unfounded rumor and discussions that take place on the radio from time to time."
"I’m the one you hear on the radio all the time," said Eurman Fahie, track coach at St. Croix Educational Complex. "For the past 14 years we’ve been having a problem," Fahie said. "It’s been a real disheartening, hard situation every time."
Fahie testified that a number of trips get canceled on short notice every year and that the rules about reimbursement do not seem to be consistent.
"I’m glad Education officials are here to shed light on this … They cry and moan they don’t have any money and continue to say we don’t do our paperwork right. If I’ve been doing something wrong for the past 14 years, I should be fired," Fahie said.
Fahie said after a recent stateside track competition, he submitted an invoice for cash he spent up front on travel and food for the traveling students. He submitted an invoice for $7,870 and received a check for $4,177.50.
"Who is going to pay the difference?" Fahie asked. "Will the principal pay or do they expect me to pay it? They need to request the money in September for the year and have enough for what they expect to spend."
Fahie said other coaches were equally frustrated but unwilling to risk retaliation for speaking up. Davis asked Larsen to explain what the difficulty with travel finances was.
"It has been said on the radio the department gets millions of dollars for travel from different sources. Is that true?" Davis asked.
"We have a bit over $600,000 for interscholastic travel," said Larsen. "But it is in the hands of OMB. That money is not being allocated by OMB. As of today it has not been sent to the department. The misconception is that once the money is sent to OMB and Finance, we have it; but it does not work that way. We cannot determine in September how much money we will have in May. The impression is we have all this money sitting here, when in fact we don’t."
Deputy Education Commissioner Donna Gregory provided more detail.
"In fiscal ’07, $687,000 was appropriated by the Legislature for interscholastic travel," Gregory said. "Of that, $500,000 was for the inter-island football league …. From our casino funds we have allotted and expended for St. Croix $65,000 this fiscal year."
When asked about lottery funds, Gregory said those monies are spent on other things.
Asked why Fahie’s cash reimbursement was reduced, Gregory said it was a matter of policy.
"The policy is when you submit a cash advance, you do not get the total, you get 75 percent," Gregory said. "I think he included food, and the department is not inclined to pay for food … We cannot include food and ground transportation etc., or else we cannot pay to send other kids."
This did not sit well with Sen. Terrence Nelson.
"That explanation tells me something is wrong with your attitude," Nelson said. "It is not you personally, not just you, but the department … I’m happy you say you are working out something. But don’t tell me kids going abroad have to go to two or three athletic meets and can’t eat. I totally disagree. No, sacrifice something else, sacrifice some of your high administrative positions first."
Other issues discussed during the hearing included the challenges of recruiting teachers, the need for more bilingual teachers, raising the base salary for teachers and meeting the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Senators also wondered aloud when Gov. John deJongh Jr. would nominate someone for Education commissioner; the position Larsen is holding on a temporary, acting basis.
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