No gold stars here

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: July 21, 2008

If Rockingham students prepared for tests like the school board addresses major issues – such as building and renovating schools – we’d see a whole lot of head scratching and a landslide of bad grades.
If the board received marks for posturing, politicking and arguing, it would be pass—as the old saying goes—with flying colors. The board’s report card is colorful, to be sure, but the color is mostly red – as in littered with failing grades.
The board was elected to make the tough decisions, and to enact them. It’s time that board members dispense with the incessant debating – and, yes, arguing – and address the construction issue, which is becoming a more expensive proposition by the day.
In October, Superintendent Rodney Shotwell proposed spending an estimated $30 million – from state and local sources – to rebuild or renovate Reidsville High School and two elementary schools. The schools also paid an architect $25,000 to assess construction needs.
The board decided Douglass and Draper elementary schools were in need of renovation, but tearing them down wasn’t an early option because of their historical significance. The board decided to raze Draper but has made no decision on Douglass partly because, during segregation, it was Eden’s only all-black school. Douglass may ultimately be rebuilt, and only a portion of the original building left standing.
The board has 12 members and 12 opinions, some of which change regularly. For anything to happen, a majority of the board must agree. It has options, but in many cases members are willfully misunderstanding them to promote their own agendas. It’s some members’ way of using a filibuster to halt any real debate, much less a meaningful vote.
It’s becoming increasingly clear this board is too caught up in politics and individual priorities to effectively move this county forward. Monday’s meeting, which was filled with arguments and “misunderstandings,” is only the latest example.
There’s an election in November, but the ballot is filled with incumbents, which probably means more of the same. No gold stars here.