Meet the New Boss: Same as the Old Boss

From the BCCT. Now it begins to make sense why the Emperor wants to merge with Pennsbury.

He would feel right at home.

Free pass: Pennsbury officials answer to no one
By JONATHAN SHAIN

The Pennsbury school board recently held its first regular meeting of the new 2008-09 school year. As usual, the meeting was held at 8 p.m. in the gym of the Fallsington Elementary School. And, sadly, as usual, I was surrounded by a sea of empty folding chairs. In fact, the five or so residents who bothered to attend were easily outnumbered by members of the school board and the administration.

True, there were no major controversies on the agenda for last Thursday’s board meeting; no teacher strikes, no elimination of full-day kindergarten, and nothing else to arouse the community. But, do not be fooled into thinking that the actions taken by our school board only matter when a strike is in progress or a cherished educational program is at risk.

For example, at last week’s board meeting, the administration presented its goals for the coming school year. Among the goals was the negotiation of a new contract next year with the Pennsbury Education Association, the teachers union. How does the administration plan to conduct the negotiations? How will they work to avoid another strike? What are the financial limitations that will inform their bargaining with the PEA? Who will represent the district in the negotiations and how much will he be paid?

These are all questions that could and should have been put to the board and the administration, but without public attendance at the board meeting, the board and the administration were left to their own devices. I, for one, do not want to get the answers to these questions after a strike starts.

Similarly, with virtually no community members in attendance, the board held a last-minute “special” meeting in August and decided to spend more than $20,000 on a “public opinion survey.” This is the same board that consistently claims Pennsbury cannot afford the equipment needed to broadcast board meetings on cable TV, but yet somehow managed to find enough money to fund an opinion survey.

No doubt some members of the community might have challenged the wisdom of spending money on a survey when there are so many other pressing priorities — if anyone had shown up either that night, or at the recent board meeting.

A final example: Pennsbury spends tens of thousands of dollars a year (if not more) on tuition payments for special needs and other children who are educated at taxpayer expense at private schools in the area. These payments are routinely approved at almost every board meeting. These payments are not publicized, and are only listed in the agenda packets handed out at board meetings. Yes, students and parents have a right to confidentiality, but the community has a right to receive considerably more information about where and why these payments are made, and the standards that are utilized to evaluate the propriety of these payments in a manner that will not violate the privacy or confidentiality rights of students.

Yet again, without community participation at board meetings, the hard questions are never put to the board or the administration, and the payments are always approved without comment.

The unresponsiveness of the Pennsbury school board and the administration have, unfortunately, led most folks simply to throw up their hands and give up, believing that nothing they can say or do at a board meeting will make a difference. I understand that feeling, and I share the frustration.

But, I know that change can only occur if more people get involved, come to board meetings, fill up those empty folding chairs and force the decisions of the board and the administration out into the sunlight.