The Rhino’s Paul Clark writes up the Guilford County Board of Education’s budget debate, which, in his words, gets ‘curiouser and curiouser.’
Clark highlights board member Paul Daniels’ unsatisfactory grilling of chief financial officer Sharon Ozment. Turns out Daniels got into it with board chairman Alan Duncan:
Daniels angered Duncan by quoting from an article by US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (no relation) that described school systems having less money as “the new normal,” and said that school systems will have to do more with what they have.
Duncan attacked Arne Duncan directly, saying it is easy for a secretary of education who will make lots of money as a consultant after leaving office to criticize.
Duncan said, “I think it’s too facile to say we’re in a new norm and we have to do more with less.”
I’ve observed Alan Duncan in his role as school board chairman for many years. He’s served well who’s served well while making his living in the private sector as a trial attorney. But I’ve hardly ever seen him buck the public education status quo, which basically calls for more money year in and year out. To hear him criticize the king of educrats —- unwittingly summing up preci whysely the Department of Education should be eliminated —– is pleasant, yet surprising.
