By MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 4, 1999

RESERVE – After St. John the Baptist Parish voters struck down three school tax propositions for the second straight year Saturday, school system officials vow they will not give up the fight.

“We have had some setbacks and disappointments but I’ve been in education too long to give up on it,” Superintendent Cleveland Far-lough said.

Proposition I, which called for a 17.4 mill tax increase to give schoolemployees raises, failed 2,379 (52 percent) to 2,234 (48 percent).

Proposition 2, a 3.67 mill tax to finance the school system’s alternativeschool, failed 2,467 (54 percent) to 2,088 (46 percent). Proposition 3, a3.93 mil tax that would have helped the school system maintain andimprove its computer technology program, failed 2,467 (54 percent) to 2,083 (46 percent).

Farlough said that the school system was not asking for anything more than what was needed to improve the schools.

“We didn’t pull these things out of a box,” Farlough said. “If you want theschool system to improve, you have to have the things you need.

“I think the majority of the people don’t want to see public schools go down the drain,” Farlough added. “We just haven’t been able to show themthe needs we have and the threats we are facing.”Farlough said there was an obvious reason the millages failed.

“The people who really must send their kids to public schools didn’t get out and vote,” Farlough said.

“We didn’t make them see the need of what we were asking.”Farlough said the failure of Proposition 2 will have an adverse effect on the redirectional center the district operates to remove students with behavioral problems from classes where they may disrupt the learning process.

“We can’t keep complaining about public schools,” Farlough said. “Whenyou don’t have the things you need, you don’t get the things you expect.”Proposition I would have given teachers an increase of $3,300 per year while support workers would have received a six percent raise. Withoutthe raises, Farlough said it will be hard to compete with St. Charles andSt. James parishes for the best teachers.”We were going to be in the ball park with them,” Farlough said. “There ismuch truth to the saying that you get what you pay for. To get the bestteachers, you have to get what it takes to do that.”Farlough’s tenure as superintendent ends July 1 with associate superintendent Chris Donaldson taking over as superintendent. ButFarlough said he still wants to work with the school system.

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