So, the school board has voted to keep the new retirement benefits they voted themselves. Big surprise. Did you think it would turn out otherwise?

I notice Jeffrey Wilson didn't make it to the meeting when a five-person majority was needed to overturn it - must have had a previous commitment, I'm sure. Good ol' Janice Boydston, walking out of that meeting with $21,700. The annual block grant from the school system for my kids' school isn't $21,700, and that's for it to run on for the entire year.

Did I mention their school also lost their technology teacher and their librarian to the staffing cuts last year? Not that it matters, because according to them, this retirement benefit is just a drop in the bucket.

Oh well, Janice voted for it twice, so now she's earned it, apparently. Chip doesn't have any problem voting for it. And how about Rhonda Thurman? Chip sure was quick to point out the $10 grand she's now saving off the school insurance plan. She was equally quick to reply that she felt guilty and that she and all the other school employees needed to pay more. Last time I checked, all those other employees work full time for those benefits, not part time like a school board member. I thought that was why everyone was so upset in the first place, the school board getting benefits for a part time job.

Linda Mosely and George Ricks obviously think they deserve that retirement, so everybody in their district, please make sure they receive that one-time payment as a parting gift the minute they're up for re-election. Of all the people that were present and voted, I have to hand it to Kenny Smith. He had nothing to lose, he's already on his way out, he doesn't have another political career to worry about like Chester and the baggage he'd be carrying to his County Commission seat - yet Kenny still does the right thing and votes against it. Kudos to you, Kenny. Likewise with Everett Fairchild - you're a good man, Everett, and I'm proud you're my representative. Two out of nine? Not good odds, but about right for business as usual on the school board.

Lee Crews
Hixson

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I just read that the school board has voted to keep their pension. And then I read Mayor Littlefield's letter to the 'radicals' of Chattanooga. I can't help but get the feeling that these folks are looting the treasury before they leave town.

So here's what I want to know...how can we overturn the school board's financially rash decision? I believe the good people of Chattanooga are waking up and asking the appropriate questions of their elected legislators. I believe, by and large, we are behaving respectfully and responsibly.

And in return, the school board and the mayor spit in our faces. What is our recourse? Our schools crumble while the school board engages in petty power plays. I guess it feels good to win the 'lottery' Ms. Boydston while our kids lose, and lose big. 21K would buy a lot of schoolbooks.

Lisa Frazier

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After Tuesday’s tie vote failed to rescind the unethical travesty of a supplemental bonus to our school board, I noticed several items of interest.

Let’s use an alternative way of thinking to see just what this group of shysters has done to our school system. $750 a year can buy a new Dell laptop for a student to use, or in a computer lab it can purchase 11 corporate off-lease High Performance Pentium IV desktop computers.

What has a dirty few on the school board just snatched from the system? Chip Baker may as well have just loaded up 10 notebook computers in his truck. Ms. Boydston just “shoplifted” over 314 computers from the school system. Linda Mosley and “Greedy” George Ricks just walked off with 21 desktops each. These learning resources have just been removed from those who need it. On the whole, the council just walked off with 792 desktop computers, or 73 Dell Latitude laptops. Forget stolen computers at Howard, just drive out to Bonny Oaks and handcuff the thieves.

Ms. Boydston, who last week proclaimed she might not be able to make the meeting due to her husband, made a final attempt to save her stash of money. Now she can possibly buy herself a larger purse to carry into the local Walmart the next time she needs makeup and groceries.

Linda Mosley, Chip “I only care for Signal Mountain” Baker and George Ricks need to be investigated for ethics violations in an effort to supplement their own pocketbooks. This is completely outside of the scope of their duties and/or responsibilities, and reeks of greed. Mr. Baker showed his true colors of desperation in an attempt to force Ms. Thurman to change her vote on the issue by attacking health benefits that have been offered to members for some time. For the most part, Ms. Mosley kept quiet until she had an opportunity to steal a laptop a year from a child. This is the same type of inactivity displayed by Ms. Mosely which has some of the schools under her watch slowly sliding downward due to poor leadership.

Unfortunately for our children, the next election will come around, and the same zombies will vote these same buffoons back into office for another term, and another deposit into their bonus account. What everyone needs to remember is that when your kid does not have textbooks or your school is rundown without enough teachers and resources, that the school board can afford to pay themselves retroactively with your money with no regard for ethics and an obvious lack of moral compass.

Joal Williams

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So it seems the school board voted to keep their retirement pay tonight. I'm not surprised. The ones who voted for this measure are Janice Boydston, George Ricks, Chip Baker and Linda Mosley. Are any of us surprised? I'm not, especially where Ms. Bodyston, who got charged with shoplifting, is concerned. Seems she will steal from anyone she can, by any means necessary. And that is exactly what this is, it's stealing money from the students and teachers of Hamilton County.

I would like to know how there is no money for a raise for teachers and there hasn't been money for that for years. There is no money to supply the classrooms, we parents are responsible for that, as well as a $50 supply fee. There is no money for newer school buildings, there is no money for resources for students, such as academic field trips. Yet there's enough money for retirement pay for the school board? Where exactly is this money coming from? And why is the school board putting themselves ahead of teachers and students?

Here is a news flash for you ,Ms. Boydston, Mr. Ricks, Mr. Baker and Ms. Mosley. You are in an elected position. A school board member is not a full time job, it's not a job at all, it is something you decided to do in your spare time. It's volunteer work if anything. Why should you receive retirement pay for something you volunteered to do? No one forced any of you to run for a school board position, you chose to do that.

If you have found that your school board responsibilities are too demanding financially, that's your problem. But instead you're making it my problem and my child's problem because the money that is going to your retirement fund could be going to the teachers and students of Hamilton County instead. And as usual, no money is going there.

There should be no retirement pay for a volunteer position. There aren't for any other volunteer positions.

I'm not sure when this bunch of clowns is set to retire from the school board, but it can't happen fast enough for me. However, if any of them are eligible to run again and choose to do so, I hope the citizens of Hamilton County remember this and do not put any of them back on the school board.

Mariah Smith

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I do not know if it came as a shock to the constituents of Chip Baker that he voted with his fellow School Board member, Janis Boydsten, to give her 22,000 dollars in pension after hardly any community discussion and according to Rhonda Thurman, any board discussion. It seems to me that he should be doing pretty well for himself financially, and rather than being willing to give himself a pension raise, his focus ought to be in finding monies for Signal Mountain High School which is at the present time woefully short on space for its students.

On the other hand, I did not vote for Chip Baker, and I do not have children in "his" school system. It is however sad for the children for whom he is responsible when you look at this kind "non transparent" vote. What is it that Janis said about the money, "It is mine, and I deserve it." One wonders how Tennessee is 42nd in academic results and not 50th with these kinds of School Board members.

Rachel Miller
Signal Mountain

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If the Chattanooga city school board did not make contributions to a pension plan for their members, such as Ms. Boydston, is it legal for the Hamilton County school board to provide the retirement dollars retroactively for a period of time that she was not a member of the county school board?

Simply, if the city wasn't providing it before she came to the county, does the county have to pay for her city years?

Perhaps that is something the new board can discuss at their next meeting.

And I don't think I ever heard an answer as to which county board member brought up the question of the retirement pay. All I heard was a ridiculous attempt to divert attention to a question posed by Rhonda Thurman two years ago that had nothing to do with retirement or pension.

Macel Holloway
Signal Mountain

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With the current trend of referencing the Constitution anytime government doesn't do what we think they ought to do, I have been surprised that no one has brought this up. So I will.

The 27th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States states:
No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

This applies to our federal government, but I can't help wondering if this has any bearing on our local scene. The only recourse that we as citizens have against our elected government is the election. To allow these members to receive additional monetary compensation without facing the electorate, violates one of the fundamental principles of our system of government.

Especially when 47 teaching positions were just cut in our county.....which will simply make it that much more difficult for us to offer your children across this county with a well balanced, effective education to prepare them for the future.

But, just like every other decision this board makes, all it does is hurt our kids.

Todd Grainger
U.S. History and Economics teacher
East Hamilton High School
todd_grainger@yahoo.com

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The school board is stealing money from the taxpayers and from the school system that they were elected to "manage."

Can it be any clearer? Who can stop this?

R.N. Matthews
Signal Mountain

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As a retired teacher with 37 years of service in the Hamilton County school system, I am disgusted, appalled, enraged over the decision of the school board to vote themselves a retirement plan. A school board position should be compensated for travel, time and even perhaps a meal for a once-a-month meeting, but nothing more.

I was sickened when I read that one member who not only has served less than ten years on the board but also has a criminal record will receive almost as much as I do now; yet I have not only a master’s degree, but I also paid into my retirement system. Did they pay? I’m sure not one did.

This decision of the school board brings several questions to mind:

Have these school board members devalued those who have served children of Hamilton County? “You betcha.”

Have these school board members sent the message, “We don’t care about our teachers, only ourselves”? “You betcha.”

Are they like most politicians who, when they receive a little power, abuse it in a self-serving manner? “You betcha.”

Do they think they “deserve” this benefit? “You betcha.”

Should every teacher, administrator, paraprofessional (retired or active) be insulted with their action? “You betcha.”

Should people revolt against this present-day board? “You betcha.”

A taxpayer, and I am one, should not be forced to pay for the retirement of a part-time position when educators and programs are being slashed due to budget constraints.

This action of the school board just reinforces their callowness and indifference toward those they should serve and not fleece.

Joan Akin

* * *

Recently the School Board disregarded the trust endowed by the public and voted themselves a pension. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume, that although their decision was not ethical, it was legal. It seems to me then that this loophole that the Board surreptitiously discovered must be closed. Next on the agenda could be huge bonuses or larger pensions. One cannot carelessly dismiss these ideas because honorable men and women would not act so disgracefully. Unfortunately, honorable men and women are not always in power.

Teresa Riner