THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 29, 1996 TAG: 9603280164
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 185 lines
Like most residents of Virginia Beach, I'm embarrassed and annoyed over our school system's budget overruns and ineffective leadership. As board candidates put themselves forward, their focus will be on solutions: how to make sure this never occurs again. I have deep concerns, however, about what may really happen next.
The incumbent School Board has been cast as an ineffective overseer of the school district's finances. The grand jury's report scolded them for allowing misconduct and incompetence. The implicit solution seems to be for the board to have a more active participation in the financial and personnel affairs of the schools.
In fact, school boards in Virginia are not meant to provide ``nuts-and-bolts'' daily oversight of the schools. That's the role of the professional management - the superintendent and his staff. A lot of mischief and absurdities arise when part-time, elected representatives presume to meddle in the conduct of operations of a school system (or government, for that matter). The answer to Virginia Beach Schools' problems is not micro-management by the board, but there will be a strong temptation for would-be board members to propose just that.
The right answer is to hire competent leaders and staff, and give them clearly understood measures of performance. A School Board represents the common interests of the district's residents and conveys vision to the school system. The board hires the superintendent, and he is accountable to them. Accountability includes reports and independent audits of financial systems. An aspiring board member should be able to understand a budget document and an audit report, or be prepared to learn to do so if elected. They should not expect to write them, nor have a hands-on role in the work of the schools.
It's also worth asking why this episode happened; what are its root causes. Poor management is not the whole answer. When I look at the per-student investment in Virginia Beach, and compare it to adjacent localities and other benchmarks, I see trouble. Virginia Beach Schools' good reputation and successes have obviously not come from lavishing resources on it. We've long had overly large class sizes, too many mobile classrooms, and crowded schools. We've not kept up with our population growth curve.
I believe that our school system's successes have had a lot to do with high parental expectations and teachers who succeeded despite obstacles. I think the pressures of making do with too little were partly to blame for the chaotic shifting around of money from one budget area to another. And if people are compelled to make do with too little, there is a temptation to be seduced by overly optimistic revenue projections.
It's time for the city of Virginia Beach to acknowledge that it has been getting a bargain in its public education, and that the day of reckoning is here. There is no magical alternative, no uniqueness that we can claim to spare ourselves the true costs of quality education. We can't keep doing it on the cheap. We can look forward to mediocrity if we continue our present approach.
I recognize my responsibility to pay my share of the additional taxes that may be needed to ensure an excellent school system. My support for any candidate for Virginia Beach City Council or School Board is predicated on their realistic and constructive approach to this problem.
John J. Kelly
Virginia Beach Why are we funding board's defense?
Wow! Talk about taxpayer double whammies; here's one for the books.
Whammy one: The commonwealth's attorney's office in Virginia Beach is seeking to vigorously prosecute two holdouts on the School Board for the dastardly deed of a malfeasance misdemeanor that carries a $250 fine. In the past, this same office indicated case load and work force limits prevented prosecution of low priority misdemeanors. Low priority must mean misdemeanors that don't make the press.
Whammy two: The two holdouts get the benefit of defense counselors paid for by the taxpayer, courtesy of the same malfeasant School Board. We're talking about $400 an hour lawyers - maybe $20,000 to $25,000 each - to defend this high profile case. It sure is great that the School Board still has the luxury to throw around thousands when it was millions in debt. There ought to be a law. Maybe if the city attorney looks real close, he just may find one.
Mary Bell
Virginia Beach
The recent Virginia Beach School Board decision to help pay for legal fees its members may incur as a result of the recent special grand jury report merely confirms the report's findings that the board is ``out of touch with reality.'' I suggest that Commonwealth's Attorney Robert J. Humphreys wait until the new School Board is sworn in and then institute malfeasance charges against those whose arrogance or failure to accept responsibility for their actions leads them to ignore the report's suggestions. A vote by the new School Board to help pay for legal fees would be most interesting.
J.J. Kingston
Virginia Beach Leave board members alone
Virginia Beach School Board members guilty of malfeasance? No way!
Those of us who attend School Board meetings or view them on cable Channel 48 on a regular basis can attest to the fact that all members have questioned the administration on many occasions about details of the budget. They were repeatedly assured that everything was in order by the superintendent and his financial officers.
I am appalled by allegations of the special grand jury that has resulted in the resignations of many newly elected members of the board and especially disturbing is the dark ugliness that forced out two members who have served faithfully for long periods of time: Dr. Spiva and Mr. Hall. All members should be applauded, not villified.
I know the members of the School Board very well because I volunteer much of my time for many school-related projects. In 1995, alone I served on three important committees: Safe School Task Force, Superintendent Search Community Advisory Committee and School Bus Parking Committee. Through the years I have come to know members of the board are devoted to quality education for children and adults in our community. In addition to the regular monthly meetings they spend an inordinate number of hours attending workshops and special-called meetings, handling telephone calls and letters from parents, and participating in many school functions.
Overall, members of the administration, the teachers cadre and the support groups are of top notch quality. We should be proud of the Virginia Beach school division. Let's give our maximum support and forget about any charges of malfeasance.
Maury Bailey
Chesapeake Bay Shores Diversity missing from lineup
The Hampton Roads community will soon enjoy the benefits of yet another entertainment venue - the new Virginia Beach amphitheater, which should provide all residents and prospective tourists with an alternative mode of recreation.
However, I fear such will not be the case. When the tentative schedule of entertainers was recently released, I was stunned to learn that the listing was in no way inclusive or representative of our diverse community. As a taxpaying homeowner in Virginia Beach, I am especially perturbed by this affront to those in our community who do not enjoy rock music. It would seem that this season's organizers wish to have only a homogeneous audience.
The governing bodies of Virginia Beach must realize that many of us in the community will no longer be marginalized and silenced. If the city expects its entire citizenry to support certain ventures, then we expect our cultures (musical tastes) to be acknowledged and considered when important decisions are made.
C.E. Wilson Jr.
Virginia Beach Private jail project is bad idea
This is a wake-up call for the citizens of Virginia Beach.
There is a proposal for a private jail project at your beautiful municipal center. Your tax dollars have built the colonial complex to be enjoyed by all of our citizens.
Now comes a proposal to establish a private penal project without fences or lights across the street from our historical 19th century courthouse.
It is unclear to me why such a project is proposed in a growing urban area. Let's keep our walkways and future nature paths free of the threat of escapes. Be assured, they do occur.
Robert G. Brewer
Virginia Beach Son defines `feminists' well
Regarding Micah Beachy's letter of March 22 (``This mom teaches son about role of women''):
What makes young Mr. Beachy so certain that ``feminists'' will ``explode'' on reading about a strong, successful woman who made a choice and has followed through with it? The last time I looked, that was a pretty good definition of feminism.
Christine Frank
Virginia Beach He's tired of red-light runners
There is a serious lack of respect for traffic signals in Virginia Beach. A ``small'' segment of our Virginia Beach society make a dangerous habit of driving through intersections, with seeming impunity, well after the arrow has gone red.
I'm outraged at these inconsiderate scofflaws who, car after car after car, continue through an intersection after the light is a solid red. Countless times, while witnessing this criminal behavior, I would have paid money to be a police for nothing more than to haul these ``citizens'' before a judge who (hopefully) cares. There doesn't appear to be any consequence for this action.
Mayor, I respectfully request that you take a hard look at this problem.
Michael G. Harrison
Virginia Beach by CNB