Where is the school district’s financial accountability?

A few days ago my wife and I received a really nice oversized postcard promoting the upcoming school levy from the Citizens For Kent Schools.

Citizens for Kent Schools, as it turns out, is registered with the city of Kent as a nonprofit, tax exempt social welfare organization.

Just who are these people?

On our really nice oversized postcard, printed on glossy heavy paper stock, the Citizens stated their selling points. Your vote will: “Provide 1 in 5 teachers in our award winning classrooms.” Provide them with what?

School districts, principals, teachers receive awards. An award-winning classroom? “Restore programs like 5th grade band and orchestra and middle school athletic programs.” Restore? In other words, if the levy doesn’t pass, they will cut middle school athletics and two grade school programs.

I’m going to assume that the language was approved at the highest administrative level and you just redlined. This is nothing short of bald faced extortion. To this I say, go pound some sand. Your contempt for the people that you want to contribute, the homeowner, is beyond the pale.

We, the people, the homeowner, the teachers and kids are entitled to an explanation. Why? The Kent School District can’t fully function on a budget of $287,525,409, over a quarter of a billion dollars.

Last year the Washington Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature must provide more money for basic education, at which time the Legislature coughed up an additional billion dollars for K-12 schools, of which the Kent School District got $20,000,000. Where did $20 million go?

The bottom line is the vast majority of the public support a strong education system for their kids. However, it is long past due on financial accountability.

– Dale Brantner