By Holly Rodriguez

The Richmond School Board is requesting that City Council hand over the $8.3 million budget surplus that became a source of contention last month when Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden disclosed existence of the funds at a City Council meeting.

The School Board and Mayor Levar M. Stoney were not made aware of the funds, leading to a public perception that the funds intentionally were hidden by top schools officials.

At Monday’s School Board meeting, board members, parents and school advocates offered their ideas of how the $8.3 million should be spent. While parents wanted money to address bullying and behavior issues and providing direct services to students, school administrators and board members discussed using the money to pay down debt accrued from leasing 78 school buses and setting aside a portion for emergencies.

After nearly two hours of discussion, the board voted 8-1 to ask City Council for the entire $8.3 million unspent from the 2015-2016 school year, and to use $995,000 of it to pay the bus lease for one year.

The board also decided to create a policy to deal with the remainder of the $8.3 million and any future surpluses.

The lone dissent was from board member Jonathan Young, who represents the 4th District.

“My frustration came from what makes a lot of sense — to pay off that bus lease ASAP, because if we do, we accrue annual savings. That is significant,” he said.

He was referring to a proposal by T. David Myers, assistant superintendent of financial services, suggesting that $4.2 million of the surplus be designated to pay off the bus lease entirely.

“We should have had that conversation in January, not in April as a subsequent revelation of this $8.3 million,” Mr. Young said.

He said he believes the board would have made different decisions about budget allocations had they known about the surplus, a sentiment previously expressed by board Chair Dawn Page, 8th District.

Already, $1.5 million was included by the school administration in the $301.6 million 2017-2018 operating budget that was approved in late February by the board. Since the $8.3 million was disclosed, Mayor Stoney has allocated another $1.5 million of it for the city’s $6.1 million increased allotment to RPS.

Mr. Myers suggested that another $1.1 million of the money be used for school security cameras.

“Additional cameras are not the answer for our students. There needs to be a robust plan in place that addresses the schools’ culture because we will not be able to move forward academically until that is remedied,” said 6th District board member Felicia Cosby.

Board member Linda Owen, 9th District, agreed.

“More cameras is not going to make our children feel more safe,” she said, adding that something needs to be done to teach students conflict resolution and management.

During the public comment period of Monday night’s meeting, several parents voiced concerns about disruptive behavior and student bullying in schools. They asked the School Board to direct some of the money to remedy the problems.

Janet Wright told the board her 8-year-old daughter complained about being targeted by a classmate because she was trying to help another student.

“Everyday she comes home crying because she is tired from being beat up at school,” Ms. Wright said. “The teachers are tired and I am tired, and we really need some help.”

Aristotle Cofield, an eighth-grader who used to attend Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School, has been home-schooled since March 23 because of bullying, said his father, Artis Cofield. He said funds should be spent on behavior modification, not security cameras.

“My son is an honor roll student and brought home straight As on his last report card,” Mr. Cofield told the board. But targeted by bullies, his lunch was taken and he was physically assaulted, the father said. His son, he said, was told by a teacher that he “should do something about it.”

Mr. Cofield was told the same thing by a school administrator who he said called him elitist because he did not want his son going to school in that kind of environment.

Mr. Cofield said he is lobbying for his son to be transferred to a different school, but told the board that some of the $8.3 million should be allocated to address student behavior and the school culture that allows poor student behavior.

The School Board has until April 11 to submit their request for the funds to City Council. The policy, and what to do with the money, would be determined at a later date.