Dr. Collins-Hart Relies On Mis-Information

In the press conference of last Thursday, the most significant quote came from Superintendent Dr. Collins-Hart. The quote, as reported in film of Dr. Collins-Hart on WITN TV, was "The per pupil amount from the county has remained the same . . . however with a reduction in State funds and a reduction in ADM and increasing costs . . . the same amount does not buy us the same services for students." This is false. The County Commissioners have increased the county contribution each of the last 5 years.

I can only assume someone from the BOE bookkeeping department fed Dr. Collins-Hart this completely erroneous information. Certainly someone with Dr. Collins-Hart's credentials would not have made such a totally erroneous statement if she had herself looked at the information on the county's contributions. I don't understand how the education adminstration can possibly not notice that the per student amount went up as much as it did.

Here are the correct numbers as provided by the county:
In school year 1999-2000 - the per student amount was $469.90
In school year 2004-2005 - the per student amount was $619.15

The per student amount clearly went up. Clearly $619.15 is NOT "the same amount" as $469.90. It is an increase of 31%.

Since there has been a clear 31% increase over the last 5 years, and is increasing again in the current year, why would someone tell Dr. Collins-Hart it had not increased? Who would have told her such a thing? What consequence will there be for this person for so egregiously misleading the Superintendent and letting her embarrass herself on local TV? Perhaps we should even ask why is it that Dr. Collins-Hart has not looked at the numbers herself?

The whole purpose of the press conference the other day was to chastise the press for what the 3 member Board of Education (BOE) majority and the Superintendent claims was the press failing to accurately report what was said on earlier occasions. I certainly hope the Superintendent will agree that my quote of hers above was an accurate report and that her statement was false. What I can't understand is how her large staff could allow her to make such a mistake?

Is it possible they were too busy keeping out of the press conference anyone who listens carefully to what she and the 3 member BOE majority have to say so that their inaccuracies will not be challenged (This is not criticism of the other press present, as they were clearly being chastised too)? What are you going to do about this Dr. Collins-Hart? Do you deny that your statement is false?

At least a couple of other questions come to mind. Did the staff keep Morris Rascoe, Assistant County Manager out of the press conference specifically to keep this statement from being challenged? Did the Superintendent or the BOE Chairman know that Morris was being excluded?