pinion Letter to the Editor: Manatee Education Foundation

Dear Mr. Maley,

This letter is in response to your editorial in The Bradenton Times dated March 1, 2012 regarding the role of the Manatee Education Foundation in the most recent School Board activities.   

It is fair for you to have an opinion about the School Board of Manatee County and their activities however to personally attack the Manatee Education Foundation as ”a top-heavy organization where some very well-connected citizens are paid questionable administrative salaries“ is not only not fair but your insinuations are offensive and destructive to the mission of the MEF, to provide funds for our local classrooms and teachers.  The Foundation is independently audited every year and the audits are on the school district website for public viewing.

The MEF administration has taken every pay cut that the school district employees have in an effort of solidarity even when our income continued to increase.  Since 2007, when I was hired, the income of the MEF has quadrupled to over $1 million dollars, our giving has increased exponentially and we have made every effort to keep costs at a minimum so that the classrooms of Manatee County receive the benefit.  In fact, according to a study by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, the Manatee Education Foundation ranks number one in the state when it comes to dollar amount raised per staff member – higher than Pinellas, Hillsborough and Orange counties.

”Well-connected citizens“ who are leaders and champions of our community are exactly the people to be lifting up our schools in these times and making efforts on behalf of our smallest citizens, the children of Manatee County.  To inaccurately portray an organization whose efforts only do good things in our community should be admonished.  Trust is a very important aspect in the success of a non-profit organization.  Your harsh words and unproven accusations can affect the confidence that the public has with the Manatee Education Foundation and therefore effect the donations by the local and national community.  The only people who lose in this scenario are the teachers and the school children who are the future of this outstanding community.   

Sincerely,

Mary Glass
Executive Director