While I was visiting a friend the other day, he made a point of showing me his ad valorem tax bill for 2014 and insisted I read it, especially the amount allocated to the Columbus public school system.
“Look at this,” he said, “over half of what I’m charged is for the schools, and what do I get for my money?”
Like most people, he had paid his tax bills when due and hadn’t thought much about where the money was going.
It seems that The Dispatch’s coverage of what he calls “the school book scandal” had suddenly caused his concern. He’s probably one of many who are giving first thoughts to the activities of the public school system.
Here are a few basic facts: The board of trustees of the Columbus school district is composed of five members, each chosen (one per year) for a five-year term by the city council. The trustee of any school district must be “a bona fide resident and a qualified elector of such school district” and “shall have a high school diploma or its equivalent.”
Thus, an 18-year-old with a GED is eligible to serve as a trustee of a school district if he is a bona fide resident and a qualified elector of such school district.
Among a trustee’s powers are: “… to have full control of the receipt, distribution, allotment and disbursement of all funds provided for the support and operation of the schools of such district whether such funds be derived from state appropriations, local ad valorem tax collections or otherwise.”
So when residents of Columbus are troubled by the purchase of duplicate supplies of textbooks for over $1 million, what difference does it make? And what recourse do they have?
Neither the board of trustees, the superintendent, the board attorney, nor anyone else is accountable to the people who financially support the public school system. There is no oversight. Education is controlled by politicians who know little about education.
There seems to be little hope for our educational system until we have some accountability. The board should be accountable to the citizenry.
As things presently stand, the superintendent, Philip Hickman, is mute. Even if he could answer questions, he won’t. And make no mistake, there are important questions to be answered.
For a moment, let’s return to the school books. If the school board spends a million dollars when only half million dollars worth of textbooks is needed, what recourse do the taxpayers who actually pay for the books have against the school board, its attorneys and the superintendent for what is looking like gross negligence. Essentially none. Something is very wrong here.
Anyone who doesn’t think so is being far from … honest. What are we told? In our so-called “democracy,” the city council members are elected by the voters. Then the council members appoint the schools’ trustees. Then the trustees hire the superintendent. In my judgment, democracy has just become a term to cut off any meaningful discussion of government. It is simply a meaningless feel-good word.
The subject at hand is a perfect example of the deficiencies of our system of public education. Put simply, the people who pay for it have no input, control or voice in how the system is conducted and what the results are. The taxpayers are required by law to pay but have very little choice, if any, in what they buy. But those in control seem to have only one solution: MORE MONEY for an inferior product. Perhaps more money can obtain a triplicate supply of textbooks for their Columbus public school system?
Do I have answers to our problem? Not really. As long as the governing laws remain as they are, the only hope seems to be the election of competent and informed council members who in turn will appoint competent and informed school trustees. The ad valorem taxpayers could create an informal oversight committee to study and evaluate the public school system. They could speak up and express their concerns. They could publicly demand accountability.
Thus far they have chosen not to speak out. This is not acceptable.
The people should become angry over what is and what is not going on within a public school system they support financially. To be angry is to care.
The writer is a retired attorney who lives in Columbus.
The Dispatch encourages readers to submit columns for consideration as Local Voices selections. Email birney@cdispatch for more information.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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