There they go again -- The DISD!   1/23/08
David Tuthill

The Dallas Morning News has two recent items about the continuing saga of the Dallas Independent School District and Texas public school districts in general, which caught my attention. They center on a school financing and school districts' never ending thirst for more tax monies.  My views have been framed by a comment I heard on public radio that the USA spends the most money on education with the least to show for it, compared to other countries.

Last Thursday, “Funding reform not enough, schools say”. The school districts are upset that they can’t raise the tax rate (as if the soaring appraisals are not enough) to fund their activities due to the Legislature's lame attempt to provide property tax relief.  School districts had to go to the voters (with some success) to raise their tax rates.  Those school districts, like their local county and city counterparts, can’t accept that they need to control their spending and spend wisely - that their mismanagement of tax dollars unfavorably affects taxpayers who must fund their poor shortsighted planning and misplaced priorities.

Last Saturday, “Close 8 schools, bond task force proposes”.  After spending $28,000,000 ($28 Million) renovating 8 schools with tax monies, if voters approve another $2.65 BILLION bond package or the economic $1.28 BILLION, those 8 schools where they spent the $28 MILLION on will be closed!

Remember that the last bond proposal that was passed totaled $1.37 BILLION!

In one DMN article, a DISD spokesperson was asked about the demolition of some temporary buildings used to augment classrooms at existing campuses.  They replied “Don’t worry, we have plenty of bond money to spend!”  This comes from a school district with a long history of abusing and misspending tax funds.

Let's remember a few of the many (that reasonable time researching past records will uncover) of those actions that were for the good of the students funded by our tax dollars:

· The technology-superintendent going on those vendor yacht trips.  I am sure those trips raised test scores!

· Those 5-figure cell phone bills from several trustees (In 3 years, Trustee Ron Price racked up over $50,000 in cell phone and travel expenses.)

· The Kinko’s contract.

· Limos and drivers for trustees and the superintendent.

· Misspent Federal Grant monies on such things as faculty banquets, Ipods, play stations and bikes

· P card scandals and the inept investigation into credit card abuses the district conducted.

Yes, the DISD has a long track record of incompetence at the administrative level.  As one trustee told me “Well that’s the DISD for ya”

Looking back at my past rantings, I remember pondering what could be done to improve this gross incompetence by our elected officials and suggesting:

1) Term limits for school trustees and voter approval of contracts with DISD upper management in terms of pay, severance packages, benefits etc.

2)  Limit percent of funds that go to schools towards administrative costs, leaving the rest for teachers, infrastructure and educating the students.

3) Ban outside consulting by trustees and superintendents for vendors that do business with the DISD while they are in office and for a period of time after they leave office, including any business owned or run by a trustee or DISD official.

4) Prohibit gifts received from businesses to trustees, superintendents and upper management.

5) Limit liability insurance for elected officials to make them more responsible, more careful.

6) Downsize sports programs like football and basketball that take large amounts of money from the proper role of education. Let those who want to pursue or benefit from sports pay for it themselves and not the taxpayer.

I am not optimistic about the ability of the DISD to manage its affairs.  I see nothing that has changed their mindset that would justify approving either of the two proposed bond packages.  All I see is more misspending under the self-serving mantra of “it‘s for the good of the children” at the taxpayer’s expense.

David W. Tuthill