Questions to ponder

Prior to the state takeover of the school system in Little Rock, we had about 40 years of state desegregation money controlled and lavishly spent by our locally elected school board. In that time the school system descended into widespread academic distress with “graduates” who were unable to read or write properly or do simple arithmetic. Those of us who regularly watched the school board meetings were often left pulling our hair out listening to the childish arguments and often trivial debates between school board members. White flight became rampant as many parents went looking for better opportunities for their children.

After all these years of local control, we ended up with a system of academic devaluation, buildings and infrastructure that is crumbling. Now the free ride is over and it is time to live within our means like every other school district. There is only one year of state money left to come, and it must be spent on infrastructure. Grandiose plans of “state of the art” new school buildings with all kinds of technological doodads are guaranteed to vault every student into well- educated citizens.

One wonders, though, what really will happen from now until 2047; will those new school buildings be again neglected in the next three decades? Will Mr. Poore be fired within six months of return to local control? Will the district be asking us for more money in the next 10 years or be asking our children and grandchildren to again extend the millage when 2047 rolls around? Does anybody actually think private and/ or religious schools or charter schools are going to become less attractive to the brightest students? With all this new spending, will our kids actually graduate with the ability to read and write and do simple arithmetic? All are questions to ponder before the vote next week. JONATHAN ROZWENC

Little Rock