Levied Greatness? Or a Leveraged Cop-Out?

A good friend of mine knocked on my parents' door the other day. I happened to be over, as, well, I'm always at my parents'.

"Would you guys be willing to put a sign in your yard to support the upcoming school levy?" she asked.

My dad mumbled something, not looking up from the newspaper.

"Was that a yes?" she pressed. She's a freakishly upbeat person and nearly impossible to say no to. The CIA should hire her for Guantanamo.

My dad grudgingly nodded. "Yes."

She squealed in delight and gave him a huge hug, no doubt causing him to rethink his consent to yard defilement.

"What about you?" she said, turning to me. "Can we put one up in your yard?"

I shook my head. "Nope."

"Oh, come on. Why not? You went to the schools here. You support education, don't you?"

"Of course I do," I said. "But we've got the highest per student spending of any country and it doesn't seem to be doing the job. Plus, I read an article in the newspaper that listed the salary of our district's Superintendent. She made $214,000 last year. I don't support misappropriation of funds."

My neighbor rolled her eyes. "This isn't about the Superintendent! It's about the kids. The teachers. The librarians."

I shrugged. "If the Superintendent didn't make so much money, I would feel more inclined to pay more than the property taxes I already do, perhaps even extend the life of a levy. But for now, no sign."

We hugged and she left. But I still can't stop thinking about this! Why do I feel like I'm being "mean" (as she said : ) or unAmerican to not support this levy? School funds are being directed and re-directed until no one really knows who (state or local fundraising) funds what jobs and what resources, and then the students are punished when mean people like me say, "Enough."

In a way, it's a neighborhood-by-neighborhood version of what's going on in Washington, D.C. We've got the two entities of Wall Street (supremely well reimbursed administrators) and Main Street (teachers and people trying to provide good education). Programs are mandated but not funded, and textbooks are supplemented with cutting-edge technology. Let us not get me started on the use of iPads in the classroom. The above-mentioned newspaper article quoted this particular district's school board President as having acknowledged $214,000 is a lot to pay a Superintendent, but was necessary in order to lure the top talent.

Why don't we feel that way about teachers and their salaries?

Our education system a knotted skein of yarn, and no one seems interested in trying to unravel it so the yarn can actually be of some benefit. The problem is in all of our backyards, but at least I won't be perpetuating the problem in my front yard.