DeSoto Education: Not Important

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Dear Barry:

A recent DeSoto Sun article (June 13, 2009) quotes Mike McNulty as saying "Education is not a priority in this county... we're on the Titanic, Cline is on the bridge and we're sinking." Pretty strong words! Fact or opinion? Let's attempt to find the answer. Toward this end let's look at management -- the school board and the superintendent. After all, as the noted economist Peter Drucker once said, "The ultimate test of management is performance." Certainly no one with any common sense can argue with these words.
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Way back in the summer of 2007, Mike McNulty urged school board members to join a key professional resource: Florida School Board Association. His request was logical and rational, given that school board members across the state gain useful information at such meetings and can avail themselves of a wealth of resources, e.g. how other school districts address and solve problems, what they are doing and what they are planning. After all, there are only three ways to do anything: my way, your way and the right way. Oops, I forgot -- our school system's way, the wrong way!

The ensuing vote speaks for itself. In a three to two vote, the local school board adopted the recommendation and joined the association. The dissenting voters, as it turned out, were long-serving good- ol' -boys, Mr. Ronnie Allen and Mr. Rodney Hollingsworth. At this point, I'd like to quote a sentence from the minutes of the school board meeting held Aug. 14, 2007: "Mr. Hollingsworth also admitted at one time he was not proud of the school board; now he is." Hold that thought.

Now in 2009, the board is suddenly no longer a member. The reason given for dropping membership is the cost and times are tough and membership costs $11,000. At least that's what I was told. So, DeSoto County School system is the only one in the state affected by this current economic downturn?

Now bear in mind that our school system's budget hovers somewhere around $50 million. If we perform higher mathematics and put 11,000 in the numerator and 50 million in the denominator and then multiply by 100 percent, we get 0.02. In other words, it costs two one-hundredths of a percent (0.02 percent) of the budget to belong to this oganization. Surely such a pittance cannot be the reason for withdrawal, especially given the fact that far more significant funds are spent frivolously, possibly for FDR memorabilia? (... more later)

So, all this begs the question: Why, really, did the school board withdraw from its state professional association? The board owes the community the real reason. Based on what I feel to be reliable "hearsay" three members went to these meetings periodically; no, I should say rarely. And two did not attend any of these meetings at all during this two year period! Guess who? The good-ol'-boys.

And now, at this point, let's ask Mr. Hollingsworth. "Are you proud of yourself? Are you proud of the school board?"

Just when we thought that it couldn't get any better (or worse), suddenly it does. Here is another example from those who are supposed to be in charge and concerned that "education is not a priority in this county:"

The Florida School Board Association is a statewide group; within this group are smaller groups. The so-called Heartland Consortium is one of them, and DeSoto is a member along with Hardee, Highlands, Hendry, Glades and Okeechobee counties. Like the state association, Heartland Consortium was formed to exchange information, ideas, and solutions to problems; its member school districts have virtually the same demographics as DeSoto, and therefore similar issues.

For example, after FCAT scores were released at the end of May, Heartland Consortium convened to discuss the scores as well as this past year's successes, failures, problems and future. Invited from all six counties were the superintendents, principals, and department heads. (Hardee County even sent its directors of transportation and maintenance -- and they went!)

Now let me ask a rhetorical question: What county was not represented at that meeting? If you answerd DeSoto County, you are right. Not one person from this district bothered to go. All five member counties were well represented, right up through their superintendents.

I believe it to be reasonable to assume our superintendent was aware of this event but perhaps failed to pass along the information. Perhaps he was too embarrassed to show up, given the FCAT performance (or lack thereof). So, is Dr. McNulty, if not on the bulls eye, at least near the mark, when he said, "Education is not a priority in this county?"

The following excerpt from Lee Iacocca's new book sums up our local situation:

"Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course.' Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!" --- "Where have all the Leaders Gone?"

Mickey the Dunce