Deja Vue

To the Editor:

Over 25 years ago, my family was living in Southwest Houston. My husband and I were agonizing over the best school for our only child. Our area public schools were under-performing in the basic curriculum, and the private schools were expensive. Many families were noticing the same thing, and our particular neighborhood was energized before it was even on our radar. Our ray of hope was a new charter school that was nearing completion in our little corner of the world. We signed up for the promotional tour. The excitement was palpable. We were shown a truly fine facility known as the Dunvale Charter School. The tour guide bragged on so many features and improvements, from mini private offices for teachers, band and drama resources, to carpool line design efficiency. We when we completed the tour and returned home, I thought about it for hours and realized that not once had anyone spoken to core education. Not once had anyone explained how all this fine facility was going to make children receive an improved path to a proper education?

I have seen this phenomenon now many times over. There is this faulty logic, that improving the education system is tied to bricks and mortar. I think I understand how it happens? It’s like thinking that a teenager who has had 10 accidents will suddenly become a good driver if we just buy them a brand new Rolls Royce? Throwing money at the problem is the easy way out. It’s something to do, that makes us all feel good, and has visible and tangible appearance, but it never works. Politicians do this regularly to get reelected and then exclaim, look at me, look at all that I have accomplished?

The bond election and proposed school improvements have really touched a nerve, and I can see why. State law has clearly been designed to ensure that athletics, and other extra curricular facilities, be separated on bond elections. Spending millions for an air conditioned practice field and trying to “Spin” it as a multiple use education building, in order to skirt the rules is absolutely reprehensible. Who do you think you are fooling?

I am highly confident that if the voting public saw how much money has already been paid to consultants and spin doctors and marketing firms to sell this farce, it would result in riots in the streets. I am imagining torch carrying mobs ready to burn someone at the stake. And don’t think that we are all so naive that we can’t see a calculated scheme. Asking 90 million, and anticipating defeat, so that you can return next year and ask for “only” 60 million exclaiming how much you have pared back your request, and “saved” us money, is not going to work either.

I read a piece years ago by Warren Buffet, nicknamed the five minute solution, to solve government spending problems, by tying performance to tenure for Congress. So here is my five minute solution. Let’s have basic reading, writing, and arithmetic metrics improve for students, or administrators are out of a job. Done.

If you want to throw 90 million dollars at the schools, just make sure the allocation is $5 million for buses and repairs, and $85 million for teachers.

Hire those same spin doctors to convince the public that our teachers are the key ingredient for success. They are more important in our society than movie stars and star athletes. They are the foundation for our society and the success of our nation. It’s not shiny new buildings.