Not Enough Says:
It sounds nice that a school district could keep its identity with school mascots, names, and sports teams. It sounds
nice the consolidation would consolidate the bureacracy of 7 school superintendents and however many assistant superintendents
and executive level employees on down.
Yet where are the answers to how will local 'autonomy' be retained with 7 school
board members in powerful positions vs 63 school board members weighing and deliberating issues - and facing the public in
school board elections every 4 years?
Power in the hands of a few is far more dangerous than power in the hands of
many.
This is also a matter of accountability. Who will be held accountable when one of the 7 schools in the county-wide
district needs a new building. As we have witnessed in the past, school construction is one of the hottest tax issues that
captures the attention of taxpayers nearly every election cycle.
So the school keeps its identity, until the building
crumbles to bits and rubble. And then what? The 7 board members will vote to build anew, or consolidate actual school buildings.
And what will the new building/s be called?
There goes the local identity.
|