Up The Creek Without A Paddle
'Get involved. Your children are at risk!'
by Terry Toole

It has been a week, and I'm still out of jail. I did discover that since our local law enforcement offices declined to "investigate" the incident that Leroy Bush, aka, truck driver/ BOE chairman, dropped just before court, the G.B.I. has taken up the case. Leroy threatened that all this would wind up in federal court if he couldn't get me in the lower courts.

I guess he could get the F.B.I., C.I.A. or maybe the Secret Service to check in to this incident. There were approximately 150 to 200 folks at the "scene" and two tape recorders and one video going. Should be plenty of witnesses and evidence to prove his written, sworn statement of what was done and said.

If Leroy doesn't like being disagreed with, he might ought to do more driving and less sticking his nose into other folk's business. He surely isn't taking care of his own job and the job he was elected to do.

If the not-so-esteemed chairman wanted to do what needs to be done, he could bring up the filling of the fifth BOE position that has been vacant for almost two months. The people in District Three have not been represented on this board of education since February 6.

This special Miller County Board of Education "law" should be changed so that the people in a district get to elect their board member instead of four elected members from other districts. This has to be done by our state senator and representative who is giving them a 500 percent raise for doing so good. That is a raise from $50.00 per month to $500 per month or from $600.00 per year to $6000.00 per year, plus the perks.

This four person BOE is now advertising the job opening of the principal at the Miller County Elementary School. At the last meeting, Terry Pickle, BOE member asked if there was a vacancy in that position. He stated that there was a tie to accept the recommendation of the superintendent, and if they did what they were supposed to do, like appointing another board member for District Three, that might change. He asked why that hadn't already been done.

Chairman Leroy said that it would be done at the next meeting in April. There are, and have been, six citizens who have offered for that position. I would suggest that anyone interested in our school system and our children to be at that meeting. There isn't much you can do, but you can see first hand what is going on with our BOE. You can be assured that there will be a "Closed Session," so you don't know what is going on and to assure that those who attend will leave rather than sit and wait for an hour or more.

There are a lot of things going on in our schools that will cost us some of our best people and our hard earned taxes due to incompetence, but most of all the quality education that our young people deserve may suffer.

Sometimes I feel like the Lone Ranger when I report on what is going on in our community. When this "suit" was brought against me for mounting a fight against wrong, I found out that I am not alone. The two board members stand for the right thing instead of the wishes of a few know the feeling.

It seems that Leroy and Sheila are "hell bent" on getting rid of one of the best men and the best principals we have. That is our loss for allowing people like this to serve on these most important boards.

If I am around for the next few elections, you can be assured that you the citizens of this county will be reminded of what those who have served and those who will offer have done and wish to do.

I have been in this business of politics for many years, but the actions and inactions of those who serve can cost us more in taxes, facilities and the future education of our children than anything I have ever witnessed.

For our children's sakes, I urge you to get involved. Knowing what those we elect do or don't do can be very important to our most important part of this community, our children.

There is a lot going on at this time. Get involved and show those who serve on these boards that you are interested in making this an even better place to live and rear our children. The dividends will be great. Public apathy could be disastrous.