Bye, bye, First Grade Parapros

They did everything from tying shoes to escorting a child to the bathroom to helping a child read to hqnding out books. Sometimes small, sometimes large, these daily duties kept the classrooms running smoothly and helped the teachers do their jobs.

Parents and teachers may believe paraprofessionals are essential for having a well-run first grade classrooms, but the Clarke County Board of Education apparently does not, according to a story in the Athens Banner Herald.

The board voted to eliminate the jobs of who worked in first grade classrooms across the county, resultings in a savings of $736,000. A similar measure was proposed a few years but it didn't pass.

The school board adopted a budget of $118 million at its Thursday meeting.