I have had the opportunity to speak to many Washington School District residents concerning the school board's decision to move the middle school students. The consensus was overwhelming against the move. I, like many other residents. expressed this view to the board and was perplexed to find the 7-2 vote to move this agenda forward. The law requires that school boards provide time during official meetings for district residents to comment on matters before the board takes action. The board did provide time to hear comments on this matter, but the comments didn't matter. A very important question was asked but never answered. How will this move improve student test scores?
We make decisions for our children when they are young because we know what's best for them. The Washington School Board has taken that same attitude with the residents. You may have elected us, but we know what's best for you.
It has become far too common for these boards and other governing bodies to reject public will. In a true democracy public will should become policy. But we are living in a time when policy is dictated by those we entrusted to look out for our best interest.
Are we the people so incompetent that we are not capable of sound judgment?
We must equip our boards and superintendents with the tools to empower our teachers and administrators to do the very important business of increasing student achievement. But it must be collaboration between the people and the school boards. Failure to recognize this is a step in the wrong direction and perhaps unconstitutional.
Dean Ellis
Canton Township
Tourism projects
approved jointly
I was disappointed by the letter from the Heavners of Scenery Hill who wrote to chastise me for interfering with a "supposedly independent board."
I don't want to ruin anyone's fun but it seems like a good time to quote a line or two from the agreement signed between the Board of Commissioners and the Tourism Promotion Agency on July 19, 2001. Paragraph 7 reads: "The Board of Commissioners and the TPA shall jointly approve all projects...that...meet requirements of the Hotel Room Tax Ordinance..." the key phrase here is "jointly approve."
So, the commissioners enacted a tax and gave the money to the TPA with the understanding that we would jointly approve its spending. In the eight years since the tax was enacted, it is safe to say that millions of dollars have been spent and hundreds of programs approved. Twice, in all that time and through all those allocations, the commissioners have suggested a project we felt should be funded twice. How heavy-handed is that?
Bracken Burns
Washington County commissioner
Pirates can do it
I have a dream of making Pittsburgh the undisputedly greatest sports city in America for 2009. Now that the Penguins have won the Stanley Cup and the Steelers have the Super Bowl, all we need is for the Pirates to win the World Series and Pittsburgh will have won three out of four of the major American sports championships. The Pirates can do this is they have the city behind them. Pittsburgh fans everywhere need to set aside the pessimistic attitude toward the Pirates and cheer them on to victory.
Donnie Hanning
Washington