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Superintendent warns of funding pressures; parent says bullying pushed family to cyber charter
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Stage warned the district faces unsustainable funding pressures and said public education risks failure amid inflation and lack of a state budget; a parent later said ongoing bullying led the family to enroll a child in a cyber charter school.
Superintendent Dr. Stage used his monthly report to highlight operational strain and long‑term funding concerns for the Athens Area School District, then a local parent described personal safety problems that prompted a shift to a cyber charter.
Dr. Stage reviewed recent events and thanked staff for completing bargaining negotiations, then said the district faces significant financial challenges: "public education is set up for failure," he said, citing inflationary costs, absence of a state budget and required expenditures such as school resource officer (SRO) funding that were initially grant‑supported. He also noted competition from cyber charter schools and observed how funding models and advertising influence enrollment decisions.
During public comment, Peter Bolt of Athens Township described repeated bullying incidents his children experienced and explained that after attempts to address the issues in‑school he enrolled one child in a cyber charter school for safety reasons. "Bullying happened then, it happens now ... there are reasons why people do pull their children out and go to [cyber charter schools], not from advertisements, but from stuff that happens in the school itself," Bolt said. He told the board he had worked with principals and the superintendent on protection plans and urged continued adherence to safety policies.
Why it matters: funding shortfalls and student safety concerns resonate with families and shape enrollment decisions, which in turn affect district revenue and planning.
Next steps: Dr. Stage indicated he will continue to present budgetary pressures to the board; the district acknowledged individual protection plans and said personnel will follow up on student safety matters outside the public meeting when appropriate.
