Voter's Remorse?

Got it yet? No. No. This isn't about the disastrous vote for cityhood. Most of the disappointed Dunwoody-Yes-ers have moved on to warmer waters. No, this is about DeKalb County Schools.

For some mind-boggling reason folks in this county, without fail, vote in favor of every eSPLOST put before them. Even when it doesn't even include a single mention of what the money will be spent on. Now we find out that money from the first five may (or may not) have been spent but it sure as hell wasn't maintenance of our schools as they are sinking into a literal cesspool. Still think that "yay" vote for eSPLOST-VI was a good idea? 

Then there is the board, so bad it is an insult to every dysfunctional bureaucracy in the modern world. You DO know that YOU voted those fools in, right? And remember what Bush said after Trump was elected? "I'm not looking so bad right about now." The Jesters are probably thinking the same thing as the current District 1 either posts vapid puff pieces or worse yet goes before groups to discuss what is going on, only to continually say she's not going to talk about that right now. A spin on "trust me" which speaks to a level of trust that hasn't been earned. How 'bout that vote, eh?

Maybe next time there is a chance to vote the outcome won't be quite this stupid.

Drugs In Schools

The school systems' drug of choice is taxes and DeKalb is no exception. If they distinguish themselves at all it is in that they all but refuse to tell anyone exactly what they intend to spend E-SPLOST funds on. The last time they did it was exposed as a lie and their little feelings were hurt. 

The last E-SPLOST was widely known as a waste and the best some could muster was "well, we hope some of the money gets to the classroom." The situation for those who think you can never dump enough money down the sinkhole that is public education has gotten much, much worse. Their best practices have been broadcast to dens and basements throughout the district and found horribly lacking. By parents. Parents who can no longer maintain the myth of "my child's education is one of the best." Parents who saw something that cannot be fixed by more money. 

Then our turbulent times blew open the kimono putting the politicization of public schools on full display. It isn't just the politics of racial divisiveness which they long ago integrated into their system, it is the growing chasm between their system and the parents who support it with their money and children. And the educators arrogantly assert they are in control and their political and industrial supporters are running interference on their behalf. They are saying, out loud, that parents should have no input on what their own children are taught or how they are educated.

A system that was intended to support the needs of our parents and children has been turned completely around. The refuse to teach the three R's, finding unaccountable indoctrination more to their liking. And their capabilities. Maybe what we actually need are public day cares, because our children sure as hell are not getting the education needed to compete in a global world.

It is time again to just say No! to E-SPLOST.

E-SPLOST, Let's Hope Not

DeKalb Schools' track record with education SPLOSTs offers little hope for the upcoming SPLOST but if history tells us anything it is that it will pass anyway.  Some claim that Superintendent Green has not been specific enough regarding what the SPLOST will buy. But can he really say "Just like last time we'll use this SPLOST to finish up our commitments on the last SPLOST." Because then it is turtles all the way down.

There there is the pretty well documented fact that DeKalb Schools, on the whole, consistently underperform against the other systems in Georgia. And it isn't like Georgia is topping the charts in the nation. Add to this research suggesting more money is not the answer and that expenditures per student negatively correlate with positive outcomes and it gets very difficult to entertain the notion of voting them another pile of money. And we're not alone. Strong voices in the community are poised to have the schools forgo future tax rise opportunities to divert money to development suggesting a clear set of priorities. Funding schools isn't at the top.

But how could it be? DeKalb has the highest millage rate of any school in the state. Some claim it is illegally high and that it is a funding hangover from the days Perimeter College was run by DCSD. [Note to self: once you give a government or its agency a funding stream you can never, ever shut it off.] They've not been good stewards of the cash they've gotten, and it is more than just horrible education outcomes. We've been sending school officials to jail. Hell, we're sending more than just a few graduates, and yes, dropouts to jail.

So maybe it would be best if Superintendent Green had only one item on his SPLOST list: DCSD will reduce the millage rate until it is below the legal limit. If we can't make it good can we at least make it cheaper?