Oh How the Song Changes

Have you ever noticed that you get so used to hearing a tune being sung that you don't immediately realize that it's been taken away? Consider this: For years and years and years the East Brunwick School Board and administration has supported their increasingly bloated budgets and tax increases with the familiar tune of 'rising enrollments'. They have told us repeatedly that being a premier blue-ribbon district that people keep moving here to send their kids to our schools. This song was likely true for quite some time and we all got used to hearing it year after year after year. It was only recently that I realized this song wasn't being sung this year during the Tentative Budget roll-out party. Hmmmm, maybe they just forgot the words or maybe it was just an oversight in the board and administration's zeal to congratulate themselves on all the hard work that went into the budget they delivered. Or maybe the truth is that they don't want us to know the truth and are hoping that no one will ask. But there again is that pesky State Department of Education and their efficiency standards and data collections and guess what. Total enrollments in the East Brunswick Public Schools have actually been declining, for at least the last five years while your taxes have continued to climb. Here's another one of those dirty little secrets that the board and administration would prefer you not ask about because they don't want to be held accountable for what they are doing with your tax dollars. The enrollment figures reported to the State Department of Education are: School Year 2004-2005 9,047 total students School Year 2005-2006 9,030 total students School Year 2006-2007 8, 967 total students School Year 2007-2008 8,836 total students School Year 2008-2009 well the board and administration haven't told us these numbers yet.