Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools are not alone in having a budget shortfall this fiscal year with a bleak outlook for the next year.

But what makes the budget turmoil in WSFCS unique is the timing and circumstances surrounding money shortfalls and how they were communicated.

Furthermore, how the school board and the superintendent are trying to navigate this next budget proposal to the county commissioners for local funding has raised some eyebrows. Why? Because it seems to be rushed and not very transparent.

Last night at the school board meeting the budget presentation seemed hurried and the resulting vote tally smelled of predetermined resignation.

As the headline from the Winston-Salem Journal clearly states, WSFCS schools adopted a budget proposal that already puts next year’s budget $13 million dollars in the red. Those cuts have not been identified and there is no way that schools will not see the brunt of those cuts.

Where is the fight? Where is the transparency? Where’s the taking responsibility?

What happened last night was like watching your football team near the end of the game with a 3rd down and short with one timeout remaining. You’re down by three points. A field goal would tie the game and give you a chance to send it in to overtime. You need five more yards to get into range.

Yet, without calling that timeout and consulting with the team and the entire coaching staff, you punt hoping that your defense can just work some miracle when the other team only has to hike the ball and take a knee for a couple of plays.

And in that same rushed budget presentation, it was shown how much more help our student population needs.

Cutting budgets don’t help with that.