Opinion : Thanks to School Board members for volunteering to do job others do not want

By Jeff Holmes

It was somewhat of a sad commentary at last night’s Vinton-Shellsburg school board meeting that before the presentation on budget cuts, board president Pat Lyons found it necessary to remind the audience that any comments be constructive and positive. He reminded the 200 or so district patrons in attendance that the board members were elected and many ran unopposed.

While I can’t say for sure, my assumption would be that Lyons was probably referring to the level of heat that he, the other members of the board and school administrators have received over the last month as they have wrestled the proposed $1.2 million in budget cuts.

I have always loved politics, but I love it in the same way I love hockey; it’s interesting, it’s exciting, but it’s something I have neither the skills nor desire to ever participate. It takes both courage and commitment to put yourself out there, basically working for the public, spending their money and being charged with the public trust.

It is a no-win job; when things are going well, no one notices. When they are going poorly, your head is on the block. Yet the people who complain the most are those least likely to actually serve. Somewhere along the line, politics got ugly. We have seen it at the federal level, the state level and now the local level.

And, these dedicated public servants – who we duly elected – serve for free. They give their own time to serve the needs of the students of this school district. And they deserve not only our support, but our thanks, especially in these difficult times.

The sad thing is that the troubles in the Vinton-Shellsburg school district are the same troubles every school in this state is suffering. In fact, nationwide, schools are suffering. And, nationwide, school boards are taking the heat for it.

Comments came down about a school bus that was sitting idle in the Shellsburg parking lot. Some parents and teachers spoke passionately about moving the fifth-graders out of the Shellsburg building. One teacher read notes from fourth-graders about their fears of possibly going to the middle school and being bullied. Another parent tearfully echoed those fears. They were frightened that their children would beaten up for their lunch money.

What is disappointing is that those fears come from misinformation. I have a 7-year old first grader with special needs who has been attending Tilford for three years now. His mother and I worry every day he is going to be picked on because he is different. But, we trust the administrators and staff to protect our children. This is not Springfield Elementary out of The Simpsons and Jimbo, Kearney and Nelson and not beating up Bart and Milhous for nickels and dimes.

But, when you are a school board member, that’s what you have to listen to.

In the end last night, the board voted to cut nearly $1 million from the district budget. It was painful, but it had to be done. Not one person seated at the table on that stage was happy about it; there were no smiles.

But they ultimately voted not to make the possible move of the fifth-graders into a Level I cut, meaning it went back to the back burner. It goes back to the pile of nearly $400,000 in cuts that could happen next year in the event that more money is cut by the state legislature.

In the end, the decisions were made, as they always are, by the people who show up. In this case, that would be the seven dedicated and brave individuals who put themselves out there to act in the best interests of our kids. And whether you agree or disagree with the decisions made Monday night – or any decision for that matter – they deserve our thanks. Thanks for doing the job that none of the rest of us want.