Anyway, I was reading about the ongoing Missouri litigation this morning and I came across a striking number. Here is the quote from the Columbia Tribune:
"We continue to believe the current school funding system and level of
funding deprives children of their fundamental right to a quality
education," CEE Chairman Jeff Lindsey, superintendent of Van Buren
schools, said in a prepared statement.
Lindsey told the Tribune that the CEE board vote was unanimous. The
board includes Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Phyllis Chase.
The Columbia district is a plaintiff in the lawsuit and has spent more
than $81,000 on the litigation to date. Board members are expected to
decide at the Nov. 12 meeting whether the district will remain part of
the suit. The court battle has cost taxpayers statewide more than $4.6
million so far.
Columbia Board of Education Vice President Darin Preis said this morning he supports being part of the appeal.
"We haven’t talked about this as a board, but, personally, I think it’s
a good idea to continue," he said. "We need to be part of the solution."
A more equitable funding system would not hurt Columbia if overall
education funding were increased, Preis said. "If we try to spread the
current pot, it could be damaging. But I would say there’s not enough
money in the pot right now," he said.
"I’m concerned about" the expense of the suit, Preis said, "but I think sometimes it costs to do the right thing."