Home of Today's Common Sense

Submitted 6/8/2004 Published Brownsville Herald
In the last few days Dr. Z announced the elimination of 65 administrative positions and the addition of 1 Assistant Superintendent. I applaud the effort at fiscal responsibility demonstrated by the elimination of the positions. I hope they are indeed real positions and not just an attempt to reduce a needed service to apply pressure to get added money by extortion, as the city attempted to do in the wrangling over police salaries.
Dr. Z has earned a big Kudo; because in a bureaucracy of this size there are so many interest groups pulling at the purse strings, to protect their kingdoms, it can be an almost insurmountable task to remove or even reassign a position. Well done Dr. Z!

Though the addition of an administrative position would normally dishearten me, especially a very high paid one like the new Assistant Superintendent; I consider that on the plus side also, in this case. As I see the BISD structure there will be a High School, and associated middle and elementary schools under the responsibility of each Asst. Superintendent; all being administered as a single entity. This provides the opportunity for a cohesive team of educators dealing with a single community constituency of clients. This should go far to improve a focus into the needs of that community and provide a better opportunity for the community to participate in their community based schools.
Essentially, this is providing for the look and feel of a kind of small community school district that seems to be most successful around the country. If the attendant “Red Tape” and inefficient central office bureaucracy can be harnessed, great things could evolve.
I must also admit an amount of prejudice in my opinions in behalf of Dr. Z. When I heard the music he helped provide at the recent BISD retirement, especially the “Soul” and “Rhythm and Blues” numbers made famous by the Drifters in the 50’s and 60’s, I knew we had a real winner here. Anyone that can reach a community with his music must also be able to reach our kids with his insight.