The Real Tragedy

Today, the RUSD board voted unanimously on having the current PBCG contract/payments audited by a neutral 3rd party. I applaud this new board’s way of tackling problems head-on. With that said, I wish the discussions about the contract and bonuses would have happened last year when the contracts were signed.

Under current board policy, however, the superintendent can retain professional services (such as PBCG) without board approval. For those of you who know me; you know that I hate Policy Governance with every ounce of my being. I like “accountability” and Policy Governance leaves just too many loopholes for any true accountability.

You would also know that in recent months, I have had a “coming to Jesus” sort of revelation about the district’s academic plans for the future. I desperately want this district to succeed, and cannot understand why there is not more attention paid to the everyday happenings of RUSD. You all get sanctimonious over $15.00 car rental fees and choo-choos to Chicago but no one seems to care where and how over $250,000,000 is spent each and every year!!

I predict that nothing will come out of the proposed audit; after all Dr. Hicks was operating under the limitations the board THEMSELVES wrote and PBCG’s only crime is capitalism. I do not think it was a good idea for administration/board to hire a for-profit company to control governmental monies, but that is a whole other issue for another time.

The real tragedy, as I see it, is that with all of the negative attention RUSD has received over the last couple of days, the June 12th referendum is doomed to fail. Under the new Chief Academic Officer’s leadership, the monies from the referendum would have benefited, both directly and indirectly, the children of this community. A failing referendum will not hurt Dr. Hicks, Nick Alioto or Roger Dickson – it will only hurt the children, families, and other stakeholders of the district. Perhaps the citizens of the community are finally ready to accept the challenges we face and conquer them together. I hope so, because we cannot continue to ignore the very real problems our community faces.