Collegiate Times

It is a testament to how important automobiles are to our country when their economic impact influences a school system. Students in the public school system of Rhea County, Tenn. were given two extra days in the last week in an effort to reduce the impact of school bus fuel costs on the overall transportation budget. No other Tennessee counties have had to resort to similar measures, and Rhea County represents an extreme case at this point in time.

Rhea County still provides a case study on the impact of the rising gasoline prices on vital areas of the American society. Brad Harris, the finance director of Rhea, said county fuel costs have increased from $7,800 to $14,000 since last year and year-to-date fiscal spending rose from $68,000 to $102,500. Rising gasoline prices are no longer simply a personal inconvenience in Rhea; they are affecting public education.

It sends a powerful message to state and national officials when a public institution like a county school system can no longer function because infrastructure costs are too high.

The continued prosperity of the United States and our competition in world economic markets relies heavily on the education of our citizens. Education and information are fundamental requirements for the legitimacy of a republic such as the United States.

Public schools should always be available for those who want to attend. A public school should never be shut down because it cannot be afforded. In this situation and in general, if a county cannot pay for bus costs, then the state should pay for it. If it is too much for the state to handle, then the federal government should foot the bill.

The situation in Rhea didn?t arise because of inclement weather or health issues, but because of unexpected budget increases. It highlights two important internal policy issues and demands long-term foresight by all governments involved.

Specifically, it shows that the budget for education is influenced by more than just textbooks. Basic economic fluctuations are impacting our school systems in ways that are detrimental to the well-being of the nation.

Some layer of government should have stepped in and compensated for two days of gas money, and if this isn?t an isolated incident, a re-evaluation of the system as a whole needs to be done.

If diesel school buses are no longer affordable to operate every day they are needed, then new technology must be applied. It is the lurking problem of our generation and the longer that alternate fuels are ignored the more devastating the consequences will be.

The current automobile ?system? that includes service stations, highways, roadside restaurants and hotels took decades to perfect. The incident in Rhea is the precursor to a bad situation where transportation as we know it breaks down.

Research and implementation must be sped up across the United States for fuels that can be integrated into the existing system so that only a part of the American infrastructure needs to be redone, not the entire thing.



It is a testament to how important automobiles are to our country when their economic impact influences a school system. Students in the public school system of Rhea County, Tenn. were given two extra days in the last week in an effort to reduce the impact of school bus fuel costs on the overall transportation budget. No other Tennessee counties have had to resort to similar measures, and Rhea County represents an extreme case at this point in time.

Rhea County still provides a case study on the impact of the rising gasoline prices on vital areas of the American society. Brad Harris, the finance director of Rhea, said county fuel costs have increased from $7,800 to $14,000 since last year and year-to-date fiscal spending rose from $68,000 to $102,500. Rising gasoline prices are no longer simply a personal inconvenience in Rhea; they are affecting public education.

It sends a powerful message to state and national officials when a public institution like a county school system can no longer function because infrastructure costs are too high.

The continued prosperity of the United States and our competition in world economic markets relies heavily on the education of our citizens. Education and information are fundamental requirements for the legitimacy of a republic such as the United States.

Public schools should always be available for those who want to attend. A public school should never be shut down because it cannot be afforded. In this situation and in general, if a county cannot pay for bus costs, then the state should pay for it. If it is too much for the state to handle, then the federal government should foot the bill.

The situation in Rhea didn?t arise because of inclement weather or health issues, but because of unexpected budget increases. It highlights two important internal policy issues and demands long-term foresight by all governments involved.

Specifically, it shows that the budget for education is influenced by more than just textbooks. Basic economic fluctuations are impacting our school systems in ways that are detrimental to the well-being of the nation.

Some layer of government should have stepped in and compensated for two days of gas money, and if this isn?t an isolated incident, a re-evaluation of the system as a whole needs to be done.

If diesel school buses are no longer affordable to operate every day they are needed, then new technology must be applied. It is the lurking problem of our generation and the longer that alternate fuels are ignored the more devastating the consequences will be.

The current automobile ?system? that includes service stations, highways, roadside restaurants and hotels took decades to perfect. The incident in Rhea is the precursor to a bad situation where transportation as we know it breaks down.

Research and implementation must be sped up across the United States for fuels that can be integrated into the existing system so that only a part of the American infrastructure needs to be redone, not the entire thing.