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Barnie Day was a Democratic delegate from Patrick County from his election in 1997 through the 2001 session. A former county administrator and business owner, he is now a banker.
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Undoubtedly there are some who believe that increasing state spending on our public schools five times faster than enrollment growth is not enough (for some people, no matter how much we increase K-12 spending, it will never be enough), but fair-minded and reasonable people would think otherwise.
--Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, Bill Howell, writing in the Fredericksburg Free Lance Star, June 3, 2003
'Fair minded and reasonable people would think otherwise?'
Hold on, Mr. Speaker. Fair-minded and reasonable people would think you'd do your part to uphold the Constitution of Virginia. You swore to do that, didn't you?
I call your attention to Article VIII, Section 2 of said document: "The General Assembly shall determine the manner in which funds are to be provided for the cost of maintaining an educational program meeting the prescribed standards of quality and shall provide for the apportionment of the cost of such programs between the Commonwealth and the local units of government comprising such school divisions."
What about that, Mr. Speaker? Did you swear to uphold the whole constitution, or just part of it? What about that part?
Where it gets a little particular and precise is in that word 'shall'. I've read and read and read the thing and that's what it says. 'Shall'. It doesn't say 'might', 'maybe', 'could', 'we'll try', or 'do the best you can'. I've looked, Mr. Speaker. There is no wiggle room on this one. It says 'shall'.
Okay, Mr. Speaker, you want to smooth over that little rough spot in the Constitution? Fine. That thing just sits around collecting dust anyway, right?
What about the law? That's right. That law you help make for us. What's it say? Knowing how busy you must be, I've looked it up for you.
Guess what, Mr. Speaker? Not good. Not good at all.
The law that you rule the roost over for us as Speaker says ... well ... I don't want to shock you, Mr. Speaker, but the daggone law you make says you're breaking the law you made.
Let me see if I can sort it out. The Constitution says you 'shall' provide the dough for our schools, but you can divide it up, state vs. local, any way you want to. But guess what? You've passed a law that says the state will provide 55% of the cost of the standards of quality.
Here's where the 'rut-row' comes in, Mr. Speaker. Somebody's been squealin' on you! And if that don't beat all, it's an inside job!
It's that bunch of bean counters who work for you, Mr. Speaker. That's right. It's that Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC). Hones' it is. Bunch of tattle-talers!
Too late, now. That cat's out of the bag.
JLARC says the state is shorting the localities half a billion dollars in K-12 education. Half a billion dollars, Mr. Speaker. That's a lot of money. No wonder local school boards and governing bodies are at war. No wonder all our local taxes are going up.
Look, in the Fredericksburg paper you write: "What the facts show is that the General Assembly has responsibly supported K-12 education in Virginia over the past decade."
And: "We are on the right path. Let's acknowledge that progress and not paint an unfair picture of our schools or of the funding support the General Assembly as provided to our schools."
Mr. Speaker, with respect, sir, what the facts show is that the General Assembly of Virginia is not meeting the funding mandates for Virginia's public schools as set forth in its own Constitution and reaffirmed over and over again in its law.
While we're acknowledging stuff, let's acknowledge that.
Copyright 2003