The Public Education Foundation has been medling in the school business since 1986 when it was founded by Jack Lupton and Ruth Holmberg. The PEF board is a whose who of the local power structure. They are so-called Republicans and Democrats who agree on everything having to do with local politics.

Their partners in crime are our lazy news media, especially the News-Free Press, who constantly slants the "news" to suit their agenda.

This so-called "philanthropic" organization (PEF) gives a couple of million dollars a year to control $280 million along with the direction of the school system. This philanthropy, along with grants, associated with magnet schools and the like, costs the taxpayer $3 for every dollar given.

They wine and dine key education people and entice them to gain their support with trips to Hawaii (Debbie Coburn), Japan, etc, etc. under the guise of conferences, staff development and "training." This is no different than a company bribing a purchasing agent with trips, golf, etc. to sell him a product. They have now basically taken over the school system along with the School Board.

The reason for this is obvious in that the school board, except for Rhonda Thurman, is lazy and has no idea about how a business or government agency should work. The PEF is now in charge of training teachers and principals and has basically dictated the school superientendent finalists. If any one in their right mind thinks that Rick Smith wasn't threatened in some way to get him to withdraw, I have some swamp land in Soddy I would like to sell you.

The current school superientendent problem started with the Jesse Register "consulting" deal and has progressed from there. Everyone knows that Jesse's approval ratings were so low that he became a political liability to the Baker/Conner/PEF School Board bunch and was shown the door. The timing made sure that the PEF controlled, lazy, lame duck School Board would have enough time to find a replacement before the next election. The power structure is unsure how the School Board will change so this process is being rushed as fast as possible.

Janet Boyston said on several occasions at the School Board meeting that the board had better hurry and find a superientendent because no one knows what the School Board will look like after the next election.

The Jesse Register deal was a back room deal which broke the Sunshine Law and was totally controlled by the PEF. They kept most School Board members in the dark, especially Rhonda Thurman, because they knew if word got out the public would go nuts.

Now we have a mess which is no surprise when the inherited money power structure/PEF is involved. They have "encouraged" Rick Smith to get out of the race and the committee appointed to pick finalists hid behind a secret ballot and again broke the Sunshine Law.

If we can't find a local candidate to run the schools and have to get some out of town Yankee, we should use the same logic and replace Chip Baker as the manager of Riverbend which has either lost money or just broke even during his reign. Using their logic, I am sure we could find someone in this country who could run Riverbend better than Chip Baker.

The point is I did not vote for the PEF. The School Board should have interviewed the candidates themselves without the help of a committee dominated by PEF members. The currrent School Board needs to do a little soul searching about whether or not they have the energy or experience to manage 60% of the county budget. The voters have been asleep at the wheel and need to get energized for the next election to try and change some of this bizarre behavior.

We are right back where we were in 1997 when we appointed a superentendent 5-4, with a questionable background. It will be constant bickering from here on with the same song second verse written by the power structure. Harry Austin wrote in an editorial today that if Rick Smith was "forced" on the school system then there would be strife and hard feelings from the pro-tax crowd. Well, guess what? If an outsider is hired, there will also be strife because the majority of people in this county want a local guy. The pro-tax, power structure, PEF just gives the rest of us an obscene gesture and basically tells us that we don't matter and they can do whatever they want. Doesn't that make you a little angry? It does me.

Tim Price
jat-55@msn.com