Loose-Violinist-1103 t1_j6aqmft wrote on January 28, 2023 at 11:59 PM

Reply to comment by 55V35lM in Should Virginia help pay to rebuild Fox Elementary? What happens if lawmakers say 'no'? by CrassostreaVirginica

And no - were not here because of fire alarms. That was obviously bad - but it didn’t prevent RFD from getting to fox BEFORE it was in flames. They cleared the building and LEFT.

We’re here because there are some 50 schools in RPS and too many of them (fox included) haven’t been retrofitted for sprinklers because that costs about $40k per school and we don’t have that money.

55V35lM t1_j6au6n7 wrote on January 29, 2023 at 12:26 AM

Ahh, the fire alarm, which should have both notified the RFD and indicated where in the building the alarm was triggered but did neither owing known maintenance issues was not the primary contributing cause but it’s the fault of the nonexistent sprinklers - which would have likely failed anyway due to… lack of maintenance.

Loose-Violinist-1103 t1_j6avruz wrote on January 29, 2023 at 12:38 AM

Look, blame who you want. I believe the facilities director was negligent. I also believe RPS cannot fix schools with money they don’t have, and cannot raise themselves. Bills to address the systemic problem are making progress at the state level because Rural republicans and urban democrats agree. I won’t be losing sleep because you and I don’t.

55V35lM t1_j6bttis wrote on January 29, 2023 at 5:17 AM

Well stated - I just don’t trust the those who would allocate such funds to do so efficiently. RPS’s current budget proposed by the superintendent largely goes to paying non-teachers - not teachers or capital improvements.

Loose-Violinist-1103 t1_j6cxw7o wrote on January 29, 2023 at 1:32 PM

I’m not following. Should there be more money going to teachers or more money to CIP? And what non-teachers should RPS cut? Procedurally, yes, the superintendent drafts the first budget. But it’s very much shaped by board mandates made over the last year like collective bargaining ($24M), and a 30-staff virtual school ($3M). Also expenses that feel like luxuries now - school renamings and tuition to specialty schools.

Freseper t1_j6brp1a wrote on January 29, 2023 at 4:57 AM

Months before this happened a certain alarm company that was part of this story but no longer exists upgraded the burglar alarm at work. They asked if they could have the remains of the old system because it was still in use in many RPS schools— and basically only there— and the parts were impossible to obtain.