Metro Council Grills School Board

Channel 5 News Posted: Jun 03, 2010 9:54 PM CDT By: Eric White Nashville, Tenn. - On Thursday night Metro Council Members grilled Metro Nashville Public School officials over the 2010-2011 fiscal budget. The budget hearing was supposed to last an hour, but the questions kept coming for more than four hours. The controversy surrounded Metro Schools privatizing the custodial and grounds keepers' jobs and cutting hours for school bus drivers. The cost-saving measures are projected to save the school district about $7 million a year. "You know it is scriptural for us to care of the least of us. And I really don't think we're making a concerted effort to do that," Council Member Michael Craddock said in defense of the 700 affected MNPS workers. Metro Schools Director Jesse Register said the decisions weren't easy. "We're here out of necessity because of an ongoing, at least a three year process, of tightening our budget." But that explanation did not sit well with some Metro Council Members. Council Member Vivian Wilhoite wondered why cuts were not made across the board. "Cuts should be touched by everyone. Not for just people at the bottom. Everyone should be cut including the director of schools," said Wilhoite. School Board Member David Fox defended the board's cuts. "I can understand why it's perceived as cold hearted or mean or un thoughtful... It's not and enjoyable task," said Fox. Click Here to see video that goes along with this story Email: ewhite@newschannel5.com