Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Back and forth over Patrick Henry

—

by

James A. Bacon
in

One of the more fascinating things about Richmond politics is that it combines roughness with dysfunction to such a degree that it becomes a form of art. The two strands are on full display here, where not just average folks, but a passel of school board members go at it in the comments section. Comment #20, from Carol Wolf, is eye-opening. Snip:

If this contract were “fair,” then this School Board would already require each school in the system to file “monthly written financial statements, including specifically all operating and non-operating expenses and sources of revenue.” [p.8 of the contract]. Additionally, each school should have to provide to the School Board a written consolidated financial report. [loc.cit].

We don’t. One need only read the audits of the RPS conducted by City Auditor Umesh Dalal to see that such a reporting requirement would greatly assist the taxpayers of this city to understand why it is that our per pupil costs are as high as they are.

And it just gets better… and more informative.

(HT: Jonathan Mallard… a Bacon’s regular who is also a candidate for the Richmond school board)

Share this article

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

ADVERTISEMENT

(comments below)

Comments

7 responses to “Back and forth over Patrick Henry”

  1. Jim Bacon Avatar
    Jim Bacon

    If Virginia Republicans want to make inroads in the African-American community, they would jump all over charter schools and/or school vouchers. Any proposal that devolves power from the government bureaucracy to the people would seem to be a natural for a party that endorses market principles.

    But the demographic base of the Rs in Virginia seems to be content with their public schools in the red counties, so there is no move in the legislature to rock the boat. (Chris Saxman is one of the few exceptions.)

    What a lost opportunity.

  2. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    If Republicrats wanted to prove themselves to be law and order, they would do more to make sure that ALL Richmond Public Schools followed the law and were up to date with their ADA access. Evidently they don’t.

    In fact, judging from some of the comments on the Times Disgrace’s Barticles, some Republicrats still regard ADA in general as a waste of money and the principle of equal education to be just another liberal fantasy.

    This is the UGLY side of Richmond, a city that puts convention halls and downtown art centers before schools and neighbors and basic equality. All I can say in its defense is that there are some citizen leaders like Carol Wolf who stand on principle and faith rather than bluster and nonexistent budgets.

  3. Norman Leahy Avatar
    Norman Leahy

    You both make good points. Richmond’s priorities (if it has any) have been skewed to bright, shiny objects of dubious value.

    It ought to make one wonder it city government is run by crows, or merely incompetents.

    As for the point Jim makes, overcoming the inertia of contented Republicans is part of the problem. And while some of them talk a good game, their results have been, to be charitable, simply atrocious (including the laughable charter law currently on the books).

  4. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    reading the reference blog…

    what I get out of this is a disagreement on just how accountable Charter Schools should be – and apparently there are some folks who think that they should be LESS Accountable than the public schools -which in Richmond – is already a serious problem with the lack of….

    People are confusing the relaxing of rules and standards for implementing alternative education processes with “relaxing” accountability.

    In fact, Charter Schools, in most places have HIGHER accountability standards because the whole idea is that the pay-off of alternative approaches to education …. there is no payoff – without accountability.

    You just end up with different – and just as bad or worse results…

    So the two things must be tied together…

    and yes.. this is the responsibility of the Republican types who advocate choice.

    It is totally bogus IMHO to advocate “choice” without strict accountability to insure that the INTENT of doing things differently actually is EFFECTIVE.

    So.. the whole idea of “hamstringing” Charter Schools because of demands for accountability … well it tells me that the folks who advocate this path.. are not really pursuing better achievement… for kids…especially the ones who are disadvantaged.

    that’s the long and short of the issue…

    let’s agree to attack the current failed approach.. but, let’s also agree that we’re not going to simply replace it with a worse approach…

    I’m wearing of folks who want “change” to their way of thinking…but they don’t want accountability…

    our problem – to start with – from the get go – is spending money without accountability…and the advocated solution is .. in my mind… more of the same.

  5. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    one acceptable approach would be to grant Charter School status on an annual provisional basis – they continue to operate if they produce results.

    If they don’t, you close them down.

    So.. I’d opt for a LOT of flexibility in terms of approaches… let them innovate … but innovation without accountability is foolishness.

  6. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Mr. Gross,

    As one of my union friends used to say from across the bargaining table, “You fail to miss the point!”

    The whole choice concept in charter schools is a free market concept. If the charter school is getting a bad result, the students go elsewhere. You have no customers… and you go out of business. That is real accountability. Not reports and maybe someday we’ll stand by to think about maybe it should be better we get around to fixing the problem. The whole idea is to have the customer (student, or parent as the case may be)decide whether it’s worth continuing at the school, just like the customer who decides to walk over to Best Buy instead of going to Circuit City… (Hmmm… Richmond…failed local enterprise…monopoly mindset….desertion by customers……Naahhh, couldn’t be any connection)

    By the way, do you work for the government? Just asking.

  7. Whitney Avatar
    Whitney

    Larry,
    Interesting that you suggest that there should be accountability for Charter schools:
    “one acceptable approach would be to grant Charter School status on an annual provisional basis – they continue to operate if they produce results.

    If they don’t, you close them down.”

    So, what do you propose we do with public schools that don’t make the grade? Should we just shut them down when they fail to produce results? Or do we just continue to give them more and more money without giving parents the opportunity to give their children a chance at success?

Leave a Reply

Read More