IB not the place to cut

At a time when the school board is considering major spending cuts and implementing new fees, we would expect parents and other residents to question expenses that are not being cut. But we question the sudden flurry of residents calling for cuts in the International Baccalaureate program.

We would hope superintendent Geoff Andrews put those complaints to rest at the May 11 school board meeting with his break down of how the costs for IB have been paid. During the 2008-09 school year, the most expensive for the IB program, the general fund paid about $11,000 of $125,648.93 in IB costs.

The rest of the costs were paid through various professional development funds. This is entirely appropriate, considering the training and curriculum development that was necessary to transition to the IB program.

Furthermore, the IB program was hardly approved by the board in secret. When Andrews was hired, the board asked him to establish a more rigorous, international curriculum.

He came back with the International Baccalaureate program, which the board and residents applauded. Following much discussion, and much explanation by Andrews on this page in his Superintendent's Standpoint column, the school board approved participation in the program.

Given the international perspective of the program in an increasingly global society, and the future benefits for students who graduate with an IB diploma, we question why parents would want to deprive students of such an education. While an IB diploma seems like something new, and expensive, to some residents of Oberlin, it is not new in the world of education. It is considered a very prestigious diploma, and often guarantees a student acceptance to most colleges.

It is exactly what the school board asked for, and now with so much invested, we cannot afford to waste the dollars spent.