THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 20, 1995 TAG: 9510190161
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Concerning the school district budget fiasco that has been so well publicized in your paper:
I personally believe that the $7.4 million being bandied about for '94-'95 is probably only the tip of the iceberg.
Despite the protestations of a number of its members, I do not believe that the School Board can, or should, escape its share of responsibility in this matter. Any of them so credulous as to not have been able to spot the many red flags raised are not qualified to sit on the board.
If this whole affair has demonstrated anything, it is the urgent need for a strong, completely independent internal auditor responsible directly to the School Board. He should be required to submit monthly budget reports in an easily understood form, on a line-item basis, directly to the board, with a copy to City Council.
Who in school administration is conducting the board-approved investigation into this matter? Having the ad-min-is-tra-tion investigate itself seems like asking the fox to guard the henhouse.
I don't see how Dr. Jim Pughsley, as the No. 2 man in the Faucette administration, could possibly have escaped being aware of what was going on. If he was aware and failed to ``blow the whistle, '' interim superintendent Pughsley is unsuited for the permanent job.
I have heard it said that in the interest of our children we should just pay the money and forget the whole thing. Permitting the mis-spending (or worse) of public money and a serious abuse of public trust, particularly on such a large scale, without establishing responsibility therefor and bringing those responsible to justice would certainly set a very poor example for everyone, in particular our young people. There are already far too many who believe that the end justifies the means.
Robert R. Clement
Virginia Beach
It's disheartening to see that the bureaucracy called Virginia Beach public schools is running true to form. In a professional organization, the ones at the top take the blame for the failing of the organization. But once again, the messenger gets shot in the form of Mordecai Smith, who just tries to do a good job. Accountability rests with former Superintendent Sidney Faucette and the School Board. Can a man thrust into Mordecai Smith's job as chief finance officer for a short time be the scapegoat for years of benign neglect?
Let's face it: The carpet and the flagpole told the bigger story and it wasn't lost on many of the taxpayers. The School Board gets mad over comments about palaces for schools; yet they do not get mad when education is sagging.
School Board members should get their priorities in order and themselves accountable because that is what we put them in these jobs for: not to look pretty, but to protect the quality of education.
Where is Dr. Faucette? Where are the two members of the School Board called the budget committee? Why are they still around? Don't they know how to ask questions? It's scary that they still have responsibility for budget oversight.
Where are the School Board chairperson, the City Council and the mayor? Are they going to step down for neglecting to check things out? It's not like this just happened; it went on for years.
Dr. Faucette took a job that mysteriously came on the horizon and made him question his dedication to the ship and crew he was responsible for. Such commitment landed him praise and another top job - and we wonder why the children feel they aren't getting an education and there are no adults out there to respect.
It really doesn't figure. It doesn't pay to be the messenger. At a minimum, the two School Board budget committee members need to go. Leaders need to understand that if they shoot enough messengers, someday it will be their turn.
Robert A. Bobulinski
Executive Director
Making a Difference Foundation
Virginia Beach by CNB