Already mired in controversy, the St. Joseph, Missouri school district has announced significant errors in its budget, necessitating cuts just one month after the school board unanimously approved it.
Critics contend St. Joseph School District (SJSD) board members have focused too much on progressive social issues and internal squabbling, a judgment seemingly shared by voters in a recent election.
The budget debacle comes just months after the district’s voters rejected a $157 million bond issue supported by school board members, which was proposed to build a new high school. The plan would have consolidated three high schools into two.
Revised numbers indicate the district will have to close one of its three existing high schools much more rapidly to save money. District authorities also plan to reduce its workforce by around 15%.
