In five years of public service, I've consistently promoted smaller, more efficient government. I believe that government closest to the people is more responsive to the needs of the people. This principal is true for school districts. Small school districts are more responsive to the needs of students, parents, and teachers than are larger districts.
Unfortunately, the current effort to consolidate local schools is moving Memphis and Shelby County in the wrong direction. The public is demanding more accountability and greater parental involvement. These goals won't be achieved in a consolidated school district. It's a case of "bigger not being better".
To illustrate my point, examine the school systems in Carroll County. This West Tennessee county has six schools districts. No system has more than a couple of thousand students. Comparatively, the Memphis City School system has 116,000 students.
Last year the State of Tennessee issued "report cards" on every public school. Over half of the failing schools were in the huge Memphis City system. None of the small schools in Carroll County made the list of failures. The small size of the Carroll County districts holds the schools accountable and allows for greater involvement from the parents.
Whatever shortcomings the Memphis City School system has are not because the system is too small; to the contrary, the system is too large. I feel that most students, parents, and teachers are doing their best, but the city system is simply too big to respond to individualized needs.
Urban school districts face unique challenges. Many students start first grade having never had a book read to them. Where will such a student receive the most personal attention, in a small district or a system with 161,000 children? Which system will better involve parents in their child's education? Which system will be more accountable to parents and other taxpayers? Certainly, a smaller school district is the most responsive and accountable.
This misguided effort at consolidation of school districts is being driven by concerns about school funding. It has been well publicized that Shelby County government faces over one billion dollars of debt, much of which is attributed to school construction costs. If appropriations are the issue, let's address state-mandated formulas to provide equitable funding of schools yet easing future tax burdens on Shelby County residents.
Consolidation of the two local school systems won't save taxpayers any money. As a matter of fact, a merger of the two districts will increase operational costs by $50 million. Consolidating the city and county school systems in an attempt to solve funding woes is akin to using a sledgehammer to kill a gnat.
It's unfortunate this issue has been raised. It will divide the community along city versus county and urban versus suburban lines. I urge other public officials to join me in an effort to improve the quality of life in our community in a way that promotes cooperation, not confrontation, in local government.
