Mike Moser "I Say" Published Jan. 14, 2005

It's professional vs. populist: What do we want for schools?

When you boil the issue down it simply comes to this: Who do we want administering our Cumberland County schools? A professional or a populist?

Members of the county commission are set to vote Monday night on a resolution that will answer that question.

Once approved the resolution goes to our legislature which must also approve it before the question is placed on the ballot.

I can't say that I am in favor of the change.

I don't understand why this is being considered. To understand the issue, I would have to understand the motive behind it and if that motive is that certain people don't like the personality of the person that presently holds the position, then changing the way our director of schools is placed in office is not the right move.

Years ago when the commission voted to go from a popularly elected superintendent to an appointed director, I remember asking the same question I ask now ... why?

If memory serves me right, the people with their right to elect the leader of schools had not done such a great job. Populists do not necessarily make good leaders, or good administrators.

Having to be elected makes a director of schools more vulnerable to power plays and political arm twisting. A superintendent who is not firm in the foundation of what is best for our schools faces decisions based more on politics than on prudent business decisions.

With that thought in mind, I can understand why some of our county commissioners are in favor of changing the process again. Control is power and some may not feel they have as much influence over an appointed director as they would an elected one.

If this is a back door way of dismissing the present director, then changing from appointed to elected is the wrong decision.

If the reason for changing is that teachers are unhappy with the present director, than again, it is the wrong reason to change. I don't want my director of schools to be best friends with the employees. I want the director to give our teachers the respect they have earned and deserve, but not to be their best buddy. That is not how business is conducted and whether we like it or not, educating our children is a multi-million dollar a year business.

I have not forgotten how progress became stale because an elected superintendent was at odds with an elected school board. Today, I still do not see the school board as a united voice in concert with the director, but I see professional decisions being made for our children and their schools and for the most part, school board and the director are working together for the common good.

Besides, we still have a remedy for school directors who stray from their mission. The school board can fire the director. And if the school board fails to act in our best interest and we are still unhappy, you and I can fire school board members when we go to the polls.

It all boils down to whether Cumberland Countians want a professional director of schools or a populist superintendent.

Since voters hold that power, why change? I still need to be sold on this proposal and maybe it would be good for county commissioners to hold a public hearing on the issue so we can better understand their reasoning. After all, they work for us, too. And we can fire them.

I am often asked how I feel on issues and on this one, now you know. How do you feel? It is not as important for you to tell me as it is for you to tell your county commissioners. They have a vote on this issue. Our vote comes later.

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Mike Moser is the editor of the Crossville Chronicle. His column is published periodically on Fridays.