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“We’re really standing firm that we’d cut other areas first,” outgoing Superintendent Dr. Chris Belcher said.

He said the elective classes are important.

“We’ve really wanted to increase our elective enrollment … We want them to experience something,” Belcher said.

In the current school year, consumable fees for elective classes like woodworking, photography and foods generated $14,660. Belcher said some of that shortfall in the coming year could be made up by the new parking fee that took effect in the 2008-2009 school year.

Kearney High School Assistant Principal Robert Bowers said about 560 students bought parking passes at $40 a year ($20 per semester), generating about $22,400.

Belcher said there were several reasons for eliminating the elective course fees. In February, Bowers delivered a presentation to the Board of Education that noted fees were not equal. While the woodworking fee was $80 for materials, metals had no fee but sent students home with about $6,000 worth of material each year.

Belcher said there could also be legal issues with charging fees. He cited the 1977 Missouri Supreme Court case of Concerned Citizens v. Caruthersville. Belcher said in that case there were required courses that charged fees. Belcher said while the electives that charged fees were not required, it could be in a gray area.

Belcher said if elective classes run into funding problems, it could be an opportunity for fundraising. He pointed out that the band — an elective course with a fee — has its own booster club for fundraising. Belcher also recalled when he worked in the Warrensburg school district that the foods classes would have a parents night dinner and charged a fee to raise funds for the class. Another scenario Belcher noted was clubs such as German Club raising money for class materials.

Incoming Superintendent Dr. Bill Nicely said his current school district, Leeton, has “limited” fees. For example, introductory woodshop has no fee, but if a student wants to build a project beyond the scope of the course requirement, then the student must pay for the materials.

“Public education is supposed to be free and appropriate,” Nicely said.

He said “beyond basic” courses — electives — often cost more but are important because they lead to vocational training or fine arts education.

Nicely said he supports the Kearney school board’s recent decision to eliminate the fees.

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