Should Texas abolish school boards as they exist today?

[adminbaberuth]

If you have 3,000 total students grades 1-12, average cost for taxpayer is per student $7,761, that's $23,283,000.00.

Five home football games with 5,000 butts @4.00= $100,000   

[Hotrodg]

In response to the orginal topic:

Yes, we should abolish the system of having elected representatives that are accountable to the taxpayers that fund the school because some high school football fans think they "meddle" in football matters.  Seriously.

Athletics are not even close to being the main (or even major in most definitions of the word) source of funding.  Not even in the largest, most successful athletic programs.  What the programs bring in are a drop in the bucket in the best cases.  I'd venture to say that most programs don't even generate enough revenue to cover the costs of the program.

For those that are harboring the illusion that football or any other athletic program are a signifigant source of school funding take a quick look here:

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[stangchain]

I didn't mean to imply that I think that the football program funds the school district.  My implications are merely to mention that the football program brings in quite a revenue at WOS, but the football program budget has been cut every single year since the state championship years.  The money goes into the general fund and is split among ALL the programs.  Regardless of that, WOCCISD seems to be having a problem COUNTING in general or someone has their hand in the cookie jar.  Go figure how a school district that gives millions of dollars away each year because of it's supposedly high revenue is 6 million dollars in deficit.  Somebody somewhere has made a substantial error yet nobody seems to be taking the blame.  We've changed business managers like normal people change underwear and no one seems to be able to find where the heck the money went.  It seems to disappear with each person that comes in. Announcements were made that non-mandatory activities over the summer are cancelled.  Who decides what is mandatory?  What about professional growth? 

A lot of times, school boards take what administrators say at face value.  Unless there are questions and in-depth auditing, what good are they?  If they are scared to ask questions, or don't know the questions to ask, then we definitely need to find some other system of checks and balances over the school district administrators, cause something ain't right.

[footballfan76]

The problem is that there are no requirements for running. Literally any idiot who lives in the district can sign up and run if they want. You can have the I.Q. of a moron and be elected if people like you well enough. There are no education requirements. In the district where I live, most of the elected officials only have high school educations. Their only "knowledge" of education is their own experience and/or their child's. For their particular field, this is all that is required, but they really have no clue as to what really goes on in a classroom. It seems that their only concern is the "appearance" of the school district to the public instead of the quality of education the district is providing for the students. This is not right. There should be some requirements for being on school board. I agree with someone not being allowed to run if they are related to someone employed by the district because that tends to cause conflicts. We have this problem in our district. Someone in a previous post stated that one person cannot control the board and that's not true. One member can convince the rest to vote their way. It happens all the time and has been for 30 years here. The same family has controlled the board since the 70's.

[AtascocitaLobo]

The problem is that there are no requirements for running. Literally any idiot who lives in the district can sign up and run if they want. You can have the I.Q. of a moron and be elected if people like you well enough. There are no education requirements. In the district where I live, most of the elected officials only have high school educations. Their only "knowledge" of education is their own experience and/or their child's. For their particular field, this is all that is required, but they really have no clue as to what really goes on in a classroom. It seems that their only concern is the "appearance" of the school district to the public instead of the quality of education the district is providing for the students. This is not right. There should be some requirements for being on school board. I agree with someone not being allowed to run if they are related to someone employed by the district because that tends to cause conflicts. We have this problem in our district. Someone in a previous post stated that one person cannot control the board and that's not true. One member can convince the rest to vote their way. It happens all the time and has been for 30 years here. The same family has controlled the board since the 70's.

You must be taking about Dayton. 

[TheCardinalFan]

It sounds like most of you have never even been to a school board meeting.  If you truly care about the district you live in then do yourself a favor and get involved in your District.  No one will ever understand how the system works until they quit complaining and try to get involved.  All meetings are open to the public, by state law and you can request any bit of information from your central office which is also a state law.  All I hear are a bunch of parents on here upset about something that has happened to them or something that they have heard through the grapevine.

One person or one family can NOT control a school board.  They may have influence over the board, but they only have one vote. 

If you abolish the school board, then who will you have to blame for not getting what you want?

[East TX]

    School Boards are the only link of representing the people of the community as to; if the stiff taxes paid now days are handled with good stewardship OR squandered on non-education enhancing pork for top-heavy middle management and other spurious liberal spending fantasies.

    The problem is that the powers that be inside the school Brass develop insulating loopholes rules so that it takes weeks and weeks and meeting-after-meeting at different tiers for a parent to finally reach the school board with an acute problem.

    In industry where profits must be made, it would be impossible to have all that foot dragging, and inefficiency.  Heads would roll where--buffer insulation--was fortified to keep from solving chronic and/or acute problems. 

    Personally I champion and support good School Boards that represent the hard earned money expended for taxes-- to support and to expect quality academic education for the children of the community.

[JS]

    School Boards are the only link of representing the people of the community as to; if the stiff taxes paid now days are handled with good stewardship OR squandered on non-education enhancing pork for top-heavy middle management and other spurious liberal spending fantasies.

    The problem is that the powers that be inside the school Brass develop insulating loopholes rules so that it takes weeks and weeks and meeting-after-meeting at different tiers for a parent to finally reach the school board with an acute problem.

    In industry where profits must be made, it would be impossible to have all that foot dragging, and inefficiency.  Heads would roll where--buffer insulation--was fortified to keep from solving chronic and/or acute problems. 

    Personally I champion and support good School Boards that represent the hard earned money expended for taxes-- to support and to expect quality academic education for the children of the community.

Dead on accurate---in private business decisions can be made quickly and efficiently---tax-funded entities are a different animal--change is slow and deliberate and designed to operate that way. I am sure it can be frustrating to all--especially those on the board that are trying to make a difference.

[mustang]

    School Boards are the only link of representing the people of the community as to; if the stiff taxes paid now days are handled with good stewardship OR squandered on non-education enhancing pork for top-heavy middle management and other spurious liberal spending fantasies.

    The problem is that the powers that be inside the school Brass develop insulating loopholes rules so that it takes weeks and weeks and meeting-after-meeting at different tiers for a parent to finally reach the school board with an acute problem.

    In industry where profits must be made, it would be impossible to have all that foot dragging, and inefficiency.  Heads would roll where--buffer insulation--was fortified to keep from solving chronic and/or acute problems. 

    Personally I champion and support good School Boards that represent the hard earned money expended for taxes-- to support and to expect quality academic education for the children of the community.

You are partially right except the part about the loopholes.  Many times people will jump the chain of command and take their gripes directly to a school board who then blindsides the admin/teacher/ or whomever.  Many school boards are operating outside of the law in thinking that they are school administrators.  I've seen first hand the extreme damage that a bad school board can inflict upon a district. 

[TheCardinalFan]

As with any other group of people, there are those who think they can make their own rules.  Please do not lump all School Boards together with specific instances where a Board member has stepped outside his duty and confused a situation.  This once again sounds like a communication issue.  If someone sees that a board member is stepping over the line, then they have a right to approach the board to inform them of the situation by a board member.  Although the Board as a whole does not have to make a comment about what you have told them, all of the board members will at least know that one of them has done something that isn't right.  A Team of 8 is a seven member Board and a Superintendent all has eight different personalities and eight different opinions on many issues.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, get involved in you Districts meetings.  Know what is going on at each campus, do not take someone else’s distorted views or gossip and run with it.  The District belongs to the tax payers and the tax payers vote for the School Board.  Get involved and make a change or just sit on fence and complain about it, the choice is yours.  There are those that do and there are those that complain.

Behind Every Successful Student is an Involved Parent.

Behind Every Successful District is an Involved Tax Payer.   

[stangchain]

That's what the constiuents in the WOCCISD need to do.  We need to ALL get together, write up a list and present it to the board.

[stangchain]

Some nerves must have been touched regarding the WOS/LCM merger because I can't find the thread anywhere.  If nerves were touched, then they must be guilty!!!!

[glove4x]

Some nerves must have been touched regarding the WOS/LCM merger because I can't find the thread anywhere.  If nerves were touched, then they must be guilty!!!!

That was an interesting topic and I too cannot find it????

[stangchain]

If nerves WERE touched, then perhaps they will learn from what was posted and realize that changes MUST be made or the future is dim.  Maybe they'll realize how low morale really is within the entire district and make things right.  Ask the teachers and para professionals.....one on one.  And don't threaten their jobs or make them feel like something is going to happen to them if they tell the truth. 

Otherwise, keep the dissention and disappearing act with the money and the problem will solve itself with the merger of the two districts.

[Bucof2010]

Behind Every Successful Student is an Involved Parent.   

Not true.

[Guest Kelly Football]

If nerves WERE touched, then perhaps they will learn from what was posted and realize that changes MUST be made or the future is dim.  Maybe they'll realize how low morale really is within the entire district and make things right.  Ask the teachers and para professionals.....one on one.  And don't threaten their jobs or make them feel like something is going to happen to them if they tell the truth. 

Otherwise, keep the dissention and disappearing act with the money and the problem will solve itself with the merger of the two districts.

AAMMEENN!

[Guest Cardinal]

If nerves WERE touched, then perhaps they will learn from what was posted and realize that changes MUST be made or the future is dim.  Maybe they'll realize how low morale really is within the entire district and make things right.  Ask the teachers and para professionals.....one on one.  And don't threaten their jobs or make them feel like something is going to happen to them if they tell the truth. 

Otherwise, keep the dissention and disappearing act with the money and the problem will solve itself with the merger of the two districts.

Go to the board!

[texasduckhunter]

Buco you need to get the facts on hiring and firing teachers. school board can't get rid of a teacher just for no reason after thier probation period. however, I believe that all people on the school board need to have children in the school or just graduated. I also believe they should listen to the people, not the superintendent or adminstrators who just want it thier way. I know for a fact there is a superintendent in our district who tells her school board how to vote, and one of the school board works for her husband, (guees which way he votes).

[Tiger90]

Disagree with the qualification of having a school aged student.  Taxes are paid by all, young and old and whoever is dedicated, has the children's best interest at heart, and supported by the community should be allowed to work on a board.

[East TX]

I guess there is only one way to even start to rectify a situation where a kid is being mistreated at the schoolhouse by staff.  Hang the rules of bureaucratic-insulation!---send a precise letter expressing the problem to EVERY School Board member via postal or home e-mail.  Likewise, send a letter to every one in the schools' chain-of-command including the Superintendent.  Also, stop any School Board member or Administrator in the grocery store and explain the problem.

Them maybe, just maybe, someone will be interested enough in hearing an acute problem that exist.

Sad fact is the squeaking henge is the ONLY one what will possibly get oiled.  LOL

Thank God for those non-payed School Board members who provide stability and liaison between the people and the fortified "stick-together" system.

[44stack]

Most school board members are small people with big egos.  Rarely do you find one that is one the school board for the right reasons. 

Education is the only industry where someone can reach the pinnacle and have to answer to 7 people who may have no education (most of the time that is the case), no experience in education (all the time) and no business on the board. 

There should be some requirement besides being able to breathe. 

[44stack]

    School Boards are the only link of representing the people of the community as to; if the stiff taxes paid now days are handled with good stewardship OR squandered on non-education enhancing pork for top-heavy middle management and other spurious liberal spending fantasies.

    The problem is that the powers that be inside the school Brass develop insulating loopholes rules so that it takes weeks and weeks and meeting-after-meeting at different tiers for a parent to finally reach the school board with an acute problem.

    In industry where profits must be made, it would be impossible to have all that foot dragging, and inefficiency.  Heads would roll where--buffer insulation--was fortified to keep from solving chronic and/or acute problems. 

    Personally I champion and support good School Boards that represent the hard earned money expended for taxes-- to support and to expect quality academic education for the children of the community.

You are partially right except the part about the loopholes.  Many times people will jump the chain of command and take their gripes directly to a school board who then blindsides the admin/teacher/ or whomever.  Many school boards are operating outside of the law in thinking that they are school administrators.  I've seen first hand the extreme damage that a bad school board can inflict upon a district. 

SO TRUE! 

[East TX]

Most school board members are small people with big egos.  Rarely do you find one that is one the school board for the right reasons. 

Education is the only industry where someone can reach the pinnacle and have to answer to 7 people who may have no education (most of the time that is the case), no experience in education (all the time) and no business on the board. 

There should be some requirement besides being able to breathe. 

=======================================

To 44Stack......WOW, I did not realize that all my friends on various School Boards were such dummies!

Now that you have attack those duly-elected members(you insinuate are dummies) by evidently also dummy taxpayer voters---well maybe we won't go there!

Since education is so important maybe we should only have people with MS and MBAs or better as the only ones qualified to run Management jobs in school systems?  I guarantee good proven classroom Teachers would be championed and all the embedded slackers would be booted!  These folks with MBAs and MSs have to be able to winnow in commerce and industry to be good CEOs and CFOs etc:  Those skills might well be a better fit for progress: after all in business where profits are paramount everyone is continuing to learn to have a leading edge..They could replace you and most probably do a much better job.

[JS]

Most school board members are small people with big egos.  Rarely do you find one that is one the school board for the right reasons. 

Education is the only industry where someone can reach the pinnacle and have to answer to 7 people who may have no education (most of the time that is the case), no experience in education (all the time) and no business on the board. 

There should be some requirement besides being able to breathe. 

take a look---one doctor, one insurance executive, two upper management oil people, one super from another district, and two very successfull businessmen---yes sounds like a room full of idiots doesn't it

[DP#1FAN]

44stack!    That's harsh!!!!  A man makes statements like that should put his real name on it.  :D