Benton Harbor Area Schools Formally Requests State Loan

The Benton Harbor Area School district is now officially applying for a two-million-dollar loan from the state that was announced last week. The school board approved the application Wednesday night, and Superintendent Leonard Seawood says he is hoping for an approval by tomorrow. Without the money, he says the district can't make payroll next week. Had the loan not been offered last week, Benton Harbor schools would not have opened this week. The district has asked the state for a total of six-million, and the remaining four million is still contingent on the district proving to the state it can make tough decisions regarding digging itself out of debt. Among those decisions is a pay cut by teachers that has been approved of ten-percent, which extends the reduction they took last year through this year and a pay cut for administrators of ten-percent. The school board has also approved teacher buyouts for anyone making more than 48-thousand dollars a year. Those who leave will be replaced by a teacher who will earn no more than 30-thousand.