Why is it that while we are discussing the possible closure of several local schools to cut costs the superintendent is proposing the board approve the expense of $231,000 in repairs to an out building at an elementary school that is operating at 66 percent of capacity?

Five classrooms at Clark Elementary have rotten floors and have not been used since the first of the year. These rooms were used for pre-K (children have been relocated to another part of the campus) and have facilities that meet the needs of this grade level, but the building is rotten. Considering the school without this building has a capacity of 495 students (per the report from the superintendent) and only 360 +/- students attend this school, why is this space needed; especially so at a cost of nearly $50,000 per classroom? Couldn’t the facilities they are using now be modified to meet the needs of the students for considerably less? One would think so, but the principal at Clark Elementary says he is using all of the current space and cannot operate without these five classrooms.

If in fact a school is operating at 66 percent of capacity and is completely utilizing all of the space, then how does Dr. Donald Jefferson plan to close an elementary school? Currently the school system is utilizing over 70 percent of total available elementary space. So where would the children displaced by the school closing be placed?

Keep in mind the $231,000 Jefferson is recommending be spent equals 32 months of utilities, services and janitorial supplies at Byrd Elementary. One has to wonder what the real motivating factors are in his recommendations.

Also of concern is the gifting of funds to not-for-profit organizations. While this is required by the State of Alabama the rules surrounding the disbursement of these funds are run rather loosely. After considerable discussion Jefferson is recommending that 57 percent of the funds be given to a firm that has not filed a tax return for 2008 or 2009 and provides services for battering, recidivism and negative trends. In addition the person who operates a private foundation announced on the radio [along with what I consider to be repeated racist remarks] that she runs a tax service and legal referral center that also has no record of a tax return on file has been suggested to receive 19 percent of these funds. Realizing the city schools represent the largest public budget in Dallas County, it is easy to see why I feel these funds are being raided regularly for political means.

Lastly in response to the column written by my esteemed colleague Dr. Udo Ufomadu, he is correct the system has a current cash position of $5 million. What he has failed to mention is that there is nearly $4 million of unbudgeted items, which includes the September payment for the new high school loan, and the recent proration of 3 percent. Should there be any cost overruns on the new building it will wipe out any remaining funds leaving the system with zero in reserves and unable to make payroll without borrowing additional funds.

It is not just what we have today but where we will be at the end of the fiscal year that matters to me and should matter to all who live in Selma.

I have more faith in the taxpaying citizens of this fair city than most and acknowledge that people are demanding accountability of public funds now more than ever. The only pathway out of poverty is education and those who put political gain before the children should certainly be removed from their positions of power; using the children as political pawns for personal gain is a great sin.

I encourage citizens who want to put the children first to come to the school board meetings and make your voice heard.