Common Sense Prevails to Stop Privatization at Lexington Schools

Well, not so much common sense as strong, united opposition from workers.

Valarie Honeycutt Spears at the Herald:

In the face of concerns from custodial staff, Fayette County Superintendent Tom Shelton has dropped a proposal for a pilot program to outsource some janitorial ser vices at the district's Central Office.

"Although we did not intend to worry people, I saw the potential for this to become an ongoing distraction in our school community," Shelton said in an email to principals last week that he shared Monday with the Herald-Leader.

Custodians were worried that other jobs would be outsourced as well. They had been expected to express their concerns at Monday night's school board meeting, when board members were going to be asked to approve the recommendation.

Privatization kills.  It kills jobs, it kills service, it kills the social compact even where it doesn't actually kill people - or in this case, kids. And it kills budgets, because it always increases costs while lowering service.