State supervision of Newark Schools? Bring it on

Another scare tactic by Newark Schools may have backfired. A state school funding mouthpiece was invited to a recent board meeting with the announcement that if Newark voters don't fork over more money, our school system could be placed under state watchdogs and "they may force you to go in directions you did not want to go into.”

Since we're already going in directions we did not want to go into - namely the schools outspending their income - maybe a state takeover is exactly what we need to have happen. Some folks who commented on the Advocate report (Newark school board hopes to avoid financial emergency - 6/10/08) think so.

This is the worst economic time in recent memory for the schools to try to push property owners into a bigger tax bite with a sneaky (August) and expensive ($40,000) vote on 9.5-mill additional property tax. But that doesn't matter. Their intent is to shaft taxpayers with an off-election, hoping most voters will be too lazy or otherwise occupied to show up at the polls. This will allow the faithful few cadre of parents, teachers and employees to call the shot.

From the howls in the comments column every time the Advocate gives notice about Newark Schools finances, I think property owners may decide to get off their hiney-hoos and go vote.

As for state supervision, as for cutting back to state minimums, bring it on. That is exactly what we need just now.

That would send the strongest kind of a vote of no confidence in what many of us see as a lousy school system with lousy administration doing a lousy job of educating students and especially a lousy job of working within a reasonable budget.

I would equate a negative vote on this tax hike as a clear message that changes are needed, starting at the top. And if very many others see it that way, this latest threat of state takeover will have been a supreme backfire.