This post is in regard to the changes announced for BoE bussing of kids to be effective in August.

The Henry Board of Education has never had to deal with real budget restrictions. The voters, until this year, have always approved any bond referendum or other plea to grant them more money. It has also been the position of the BoE that "for the children" and political correctness and strengthening the community were primary concerns. In fact this board has reached the state's legal 20 mil limit on property taxes and maintains efforts to increase that limit through our legislative delegation. It is clear to many that they cannot operate within a budget, whether reduced by state allocations or reductions in SPLOST or property taxes, as other school districts are forced into.

Our board members took it personally when the voters refused to increase property taxes for the bond issue. They are panicked because they are ill prepared to face the same economic realities of the people whose money they feel entitled to.

No, we did not need new schools. It is doubtful that we need new school buses. The extra $256 million bond was opposed by school system employees as well as others. Nobody was fooled by the emotional appeals and otherwise lack of explanation of real need.

Note that throughout the whining episodes cast upon us the board has not, as examples, offered to cut

· administrative salaries or positions

· Unnecessary positions like coaches and counselors that run interference between teachers and students and parents;

· Unnecessary programs designed to indoctrinate rather than educate;

· Resource Officers from the Henry Sheriff's Office since they are window dressing and fill a political rather than police function;

The bureaucracy must be protected and the rules must be devised to maintain order and control. A quotation attributed to Mark Twain seems appropriate, "God made the Idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board."

Whether anyone believes the one-mile or one-third mile restrictions will make much difference, no actual numbers of affected students has been published. Again, a policy was enacted to punish citizens for refusing to support and defend the BoE appetite for unrestricted tax dollars.

Remember this: Sixty Percent (60%) of our property tax dollars are allocated to the school board. They also receive another three and one-half mils (3.5) through back-door bond debt we already approved.

Some of us have lost jobs, some our homes. Money is not free flowing at our houses. We must make adjustments, persevere and overcome. Sometimes we must give up things we want in favor of what we need. So must our school board.

Larry Stanley