My LTE about schools

shanek · 2nd July 2003, 07:29 AM

I just had this Letter to the Editor published in a local weekly paper, News@Norman. One of the things I like about this paper is that they'll publish long LTEs:

It seems like you can hardly go to a County Commissioners meeting without having to sit through several representatives of the Lincoln County school system begging for more money. Yet, on the front cover and in the centerfold of the June 4th News@Norman, we're treated to images of the new North Lincoln High School showing that quite obviously an outlandish amount of money was spent on another monument to failed government education.

From the extravagant entrance to the flamboyant foyer, this colossal structure is hardly appropriate for a county which routinely has to beg parents, businesses, and citizens for basic school supplies, and then has to go to the County Commissioners for budget increases. How much could have been saved by using more modest construction, like that of the new Denver campus of Lincoln Charter School? How much would then be left for textbooks, school supplies, and other expenses?

When I ran for County Commissioner in 2002, I asked practically every teacher I ran into one question: Would you rather teach in a fancy, lavish building and not have enough school supplies, or would you rather have the proper school supplies yet teach in a run-down trailer? Without exception, they chose the latter. So why would the Powers That Be continually choose the former?

It's very simple: People driving by and visiting see the building, the foyer, maybe the offices. They don't generally see classes in session. This is about putting on a show, bragging to everyone else about how wonderful our government schools are, while the students are forced to do without. It's politics at its worst.

When you have a child who doesn't spend his allowance wisely, and is constantly having to come to you for more money, the solution is to not give it to him. You have to make him realize the value of money and get his spending priorities straight. By increasing his allowance, you simply enable his behavior. If our County Commissioners are really serious about fiscal responsibility at a time when we're all having to scrape to get by, they would refuse to increase the budget for schools until those in charge get their priorities straight.

Next year, students going to North Lincoln will have a high-tech 600-seat auditorium, classrooms "wired for the 21st Century" (whatever that means), a huge foyer with an almost-an-NC-flag (someone forgot the white star) made of tile, a cultural arts wing with performance rooms, practice rooms, and an ampitheatre, and two gymnasiums. These are all wonderful things for a school to have, but if students end up without the necessary supplies, then what's the point?

I, for one, will keep this in mind this fall should I see them begging yet again for basic school supplies, and hear about how teachers are digging into their own pockets to purchase textbooks and other materials. Then, I'll be forced to wonder if our children are more mature than the politicians who service them.

NoZed Avenger · 2nd July 2003, 07:51 AM

Good point.

It also always worries me when the school administration decides they need to place themselves into offices that are not in the same building as the school. Invariably - from my own, anecdotal experiences - the administration building is newer and more lavish, while the old school building is lucky if its air conditioning works half the time. And forget about having enough books for students -- that money went to the new mahogany desks for the admin building across town.

Agammamon · 2nd July 2003, 09:42 AM

This sort of thing is endemic to governments everywhere. Its all about show, impressing the neighbors. That's why we have the White House, Saddan had 20 billion palaces, heck even the Russkies (for all their egalitarian talk) spend tons of money on gov buildings. Very few people in power ever feel that their office should be modest - that the money could be more profitably used elsewhere to benefit their constituency. Like its supposed to.

Libertarian · 2nd July 2003, 04:04 PM

1. If you are given a budget, and you face a possible decrease, are you going to change the plan of your new building so that the floor is linoleum instead of marble? Or are you going to threaten to lay off some teachers?

Which of the two avenues will make the paper, get people excited, and draw attention to your plight?

2. I've said it before and I'll say it again: when someone in the private sector screws up, they get LESS money. When the gov't screws up, it asks for MORE money.

Skeptical Greg · 2nd July 2003, 04:13 PM

Great letter Shanek..

I just fear that anarchy will prevail before the Lords relinquish their Fiefs...

2nd July 2003, 07:29 AM	#1
shanek by Charles M. Schulz Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 15,990	My LTE about schools I just had this Letter to the Editor published in a local weekly paper, News@Norman. One of the things I like about this paper is that they'll publish long LTEs: It seems like you can hardly go to a County Commissioners meeting without having to sit through several representatives of the Lincoln County school system begging for more money. Yet, on the front cover and in the centerfold of the June 4th News@Norman, we're treated to images of the new North Lincoln High School showing that quite obviously an outlandish amount of money was spent on another monument to failed government education. From the extravagant entrance to the flamboyant foyer, this colossal structure is hardly appropriate for a county which routinely has to beg parents, businesses, and citizens for basic school supplies, and then has to go to the County Commissioners for budget increases. How much could have been saved by using more modest construction, like that of the new Denver campus of Lincoln Charter School? How much would then be left for textbooks, school supplies, and other expenses? When I ran for County Commissioner in 2002, I asked practically every teacher I ran into one question: Would you rather teach in a fancy, lavish building and not have enough school supplies, or would you rather have the proper school supplies yet teach in a run-down trailer? Without exception, they chose the latter. So why would the Powers That Be continually choose the former? It's very simple: People driving by and visiting see the building, the foyer, maybe the offices. They don't generally see classes in session. This is about putting on a show, bragging to everyone else about how wonderful our government schools are, while the students are forced to do without. It's politics at its worst. When you have a child who doesn't spend his allowance wisely, and is constantly having to come to you for more money, the solution is to not give it to him. You have to make him realize the value of money and get his spending priorities straight. By increasing his allowance, you simply enable his behavior. If our County Commissioners are really serious about fiscal responsibility at a time when we're all having to scrape to get by, they would refuse to increase the budget for schools until those in charge get their priorities straight. Next year, students going to North Lincoln will have a high-tech 600-seat auditorium, classrooms "wired for the 21st Century" (whatever that means), a huge foyer with an almost-an-NC-flag (someone forgot the white star) made of tile, a cultural arts wing with performance rooms, practice rooms, and an ampitheatre, and two gymnasiums. These are all wonderful things for a school to have, but if students end up without the necessary supplies, then what's the point? I, for one, will keep this in mind this fall should I see them begging yet again for basic school supplies, and hear about how teachers are digging into their own pockets to purchase textbooks and other materials. Then, I'll be forced to wonder if our children are more mature than the politicians who service them.
	__________________ "James Randi is awesome!" —Ian Bernard, primary host of Free Talk Live "It really does take people like Penn & Teller or James Randi to be able to see through these deceptions, and so those are perhaps the people we should be paying the most attention to." —Harry Browne, 4/10/2004 I know there is a lesson to be learned here somewhere, but I don't know what it is.

2nd July 2003, 07:51 AM	#2
NoZed Avenger Bitter Whiner Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 11,313	Good point. It also always worries me when the school administration decides they need to place themselves into offices that are not in the same building as the school. Invariably - from my own, anecdotal experiences - the administration building is newer and more lavish, while the old school building is lucky if its air conditioning works half the time. And forget about having enough books for students -- that money went to the new mahogany desks for the admin building across town.
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2nd July 2003, 09:42 AM	#3
Agammamon Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,385	This sort of thing is endemic to governments everywhere. Its all about show, impressing the neighbors. That's why we have the White House, Saddan had 20 billion palaces, heck even the Russkies (for all their egalitarian talk) spend tons of money on gov buildings. Very few people in power ever feel that their office should be modest - that the money could be more profitably used elsewhere to benefit their constituency. Like its supposed to.
	__________________ It will be a great day when the US Air Force has all the bombs it needs and the NEA has to hold a bake sale in order to pay its lobbyists.

2nd July 2003, 04:04 PM	#4
Libertarian Thinker Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 248	1. If you are given a budget, and you face a possible decrease, are you going to change the plan of your new building so that the floor is linoleum instead of marble? Or are you going to threaten to lay off some teachers? Which of the two avenues will make the paper, get people excited, and draw attention to your plight? 2. I've said it before and I'll say it again: when someone in the private sector screws up, they get LESS money. When the gov't screws up, it asks for MORE money.
Libertarian Thinker Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 248	__________________ "Making fun of born-again christians is like hunting dairy cows with a high powered rifle and scope." -- P. J. O'Rourke "I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub." -- G. Norquist

2nd July 2003, 04:13 PM	#5
Skeptical Greg Agave Wine Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Just past 'Resume Speed' Posts: 12,873	Great letter Shanek.. I just fear that anarchy will prevail before the Lords relinquish their Fiefs...
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