Anonymous wrote:So even when schools are laying off teaching aides and running out of copy paper due to budget cuts there are people who think this is a good use of taxpayer money.....

Yes, I do. They're doing more with less. At least give them the tools (education) to do the job. Do you not do any professional development in your job? Do you work? How do you better yourself in your career?

So even when schools are laying off teaching aides and running out of copy paper due to budget cuts there are people who think this is a good use of taxpayer money.....

Anonymous wrote:18:55, does that mean you think it is an appropriate use of funds? because the principals may learn something?

Yes. I think learning is important in education. Does someone disagree?

Going to a conference is not the point. Going to the right conference is the goal.

DC and Baltimore have many conferences. No need to travel far or stay in a hotel on the taxpayer dime.

I can tell you that on line conferences do not work as well as in person. With on line, people will be distracted by other activities.

Also, one can not discount the importance of the sidebar discussions, which do not happen in virtual conferences.

I think it is a reasonable expense.

Well, as someone who works for a non-profit educational association that puts on similar conferences, no, I don't think it's a waste. I'm appalled by the number of teachers and administrators who participate in almost no PD. Is that what you want for your child? I'm very proud of the quality of the content that my organization provides and know that we do what we can to keep costs as low as possible for our constituents. We have moved towards more online programming, but there is a lot of benefit to face-to-face events as well.

18:55, does that mean you think it is an appropriate use of funds? because the principals may learn something?

OP said one pyramid attended. That doesn't necessarily mean the other pyramids did not.

It may be others. I do know that another pyramid went to Atlanta in the fall.....

Yes. I think it's a waste. Conferences should be online by now and it's ridiculous that it would just be one pyramid that would attend. Maybe one person from each pyramid I'd be ok with.

Why was it just one pyramid?

It's like professional development for principals. Maybe they'll learn something.

No. Jobs sending their workers to trade meetings are also robbing shareholders?

i recently learned that all of the principals in one pyramid in FFX County were being sent to a conference in Las Vegas this week. The total cost for ten principals is at least $15,000. Does anyone else think that this is an incredible waste of money when budgets are so tight and many people are being furloughed or losing thir jobs? I was told that it is a great conference with many teaching gurus and will foster collegiallity among the principals and bring them up to speed on the latest and the greatest in education. I still think that this is an obscene waste of taxpayer money. Comments?