GCS Not Mature Enough To Handle $1.7 Billion
Dear Editor,
Utterly destroyed emotionally, Ben released the tear-soaked white rose as it listlessly, almost somberly, drifted to the cold steel lid of the coffin six feet into a lifeless and barren hole. “I had nothing growing up. Truly, all I wanted was to give him everything he ever wanted,” said Ben completely distraught as he stood over the open grave of his 16-year-old son, Shawn, following the graveside service.
See, what happened was Ben bought his son a brand new v10 Dodge Viper for his 16th birthday. Shawn had begun to drive and because Ben had been very successful in his business and he had sufficiently earned a healthy income, he wanted to give his son something he could never have as a teenage boy. Ben grew up in abject poverty and never owned a car, much less a hot rod, until he could afford a 20-year-old jalopy on his 25th birthday.
Unfortunately, the warning signs were there though. Shawn had been involved in a couple of minor accidents in the supercharged car. They were nothing very serious but it was evident to everyone but Ben and Shawn that this was too much car for this particular boy. Then, it happened. Shawn was involved in a serious head-on collision with an 18-wheeler while speeding at 120 miles per hour late one night on the highway.
One should never award another with more than he or she is able to handle appropriately. The story here is a euphemism fortunately but it has, sadly, occurred many times. A benevolent father wanting to give his son or daughter more than he or she ever possessed growing up only to see it harm them in the end.
Ladies and gentlemen, Guilford County Schools is asking for a supercharged vehicle and we the voting public want to see them have more than we ever did growing up. Unfortunately, they are not sufficiently mature to handle such a supercharged amount of money. See, this administration and board of education has demonstrated, time and again, they are not capable of maneuvering such a powerful vehicle.
While we all support and want to see our school facilities improved, we have just been shown many times over that this administration and board will simply not spend the funds where they need to be. They would rather drop millions on social-emotional learning than on roof and heating/cooling upgrades. They would rather drop millions on a new professional development building or spend $15,000 a pop on renting the GTCC Colfax building for meetings than to ensure the district employs sufficient maintenance workers.
We cannot give them this $1.7 billion supercharged vehicle at this moment. They are the dangerous 16-year-old kid who is not sufficiently mature to drive it. Frankly, I do not want to be the father peering over the tear-soaked coffin lid of a crumbling school building wondering where the money went. Have we not asked this enough? Elect the New Vision, New Direction candidates. Install maturity back onto the board. Ensure they hire a mature driver in the superintendent and, better yet, a competent Chief Finance Officer. Wait to see if they demonstrate fiscal soundness. Then, give them the money they need to secure the future of our schools.
Rick Stegall
The Dems are super-expanding govt programs wherever they can. This buys & solidifies future Democrat votes for everyone who thinks they benefitted from this cash cow.
That’s all it is – POWER. Tell us how to live our lives, BB.
Who are these New Division New Direction candidates you speak of. I am very interested to look them over.
Lets face the facts: The Guilford County School System is broken and it will take serious changes to correct the years of neglect, wasted money, ineffective programs and a continued bulging administrative staff. School consolidation was supposed to reduce budgets, improve coordination between the former systems, reduce the administrative staff and ultimately improve the performance of the students. Due to total mismanagement by the administrators and the board of education, none of these goals have been reached. Guilford County was happy to comply with the State directives for consolidation. Just look at what it has done. However, look at Davidson County, they still have three systems, county, Thomasville City and Lexington City. I would like to see a study of the possibility of reverting back to the three system approach in Guilford County. I can assure you that those of us who live in High Point can take care of our students without the interference of the existing system.
Like always the administrations answer is to just throw money at it, and all will be happy and get that warm and fuzzy feeling. It does not work, and the situation we are in is proof. They do not deserve another cent. What has happened to the Education Lottery? Vote no to bond.
I agree. My vote is a NO!
Spite the children and staff to stick it to the people at the top, when that’s all about to change anyway. Yeah. Stupid plan. Children need us to value them today. It isn’t their fault who is in charge…
Sorry to bust your bubble but it hasn’t changed in 30 years it’s only gotten worse.
Vote yes for the sales tax and no for the bond.
No for both. No more bonds until the administration can explain where the 10 million they were given a year and a half ago for security went. The question has been asked multiple times with no real answer
Vote “NO” to any and all higher taxes and new bonds (i.e. future tax hikes).
The Parasitic Sector is grossly obese, grasping, and rapacious.