The Punta Gorda herald., 1922-09-01
SAYSTRUSTEESARE
'DARNED JACkASSES'
County School Board Did Not Dis
ttfct County at Special Meet
ing Last Friday

that their action to compel the Coun
ty Board OF Public Instruction to di
vide the county into county schoo
board districts is a low-down politi
cal maneuver is the opinion of Mr
knight, a member of the count,
board, as expressed at special meet
ing of the board last Friday after
noon, although he did not refer tt
them directly, either as individuals ol
as trustees.
The meeting Friday was called b,
Chairman Cantwell for the purpose ot
considering the matter of districtine
the county, but no action was taken
except to direct the secretary to send
copy of the resolution that must be
passed in order to make the proposed
division, maps showing the proposed
districts, etc, to Mr.. Mason for his
approval or rejection. Mr.. Knight
moved to adopt the resolution, but
would not vote yes" or mo-, and
then it was decided to get Mr.. Mason's S
views. Mr.. Knight agreeing to do
whatever the former agreed to do,
vote for the establishment of the pro-
posed new districts under protest.
Mr. knight was severe in his de-
nunciation of the local trustees,
characterizing their action as dirty
politics." Following this remark,
Chairman Cantwell said that it might
be politics, but he couldn't give the
judge a PLAUSIBLE reason for not
establishing the districts as contem-
plated and required by law, and stat
ed that he had never been satisfied
with the present arrangement. Mr..
Knight admitted that he was not cap
able of explaining to the Judge why
the action asked for should not be
taken. but said that he might be able
to find a lawyer who could.
Mr.. Knight expressed the opinion
that the action of the trustees had
been inspired because of some oppos-
ition to a teacher employed by the
trustees; then he said that the only
thing that the board failed to do
that it could have done when ii at
tempted to district the county in the
first place was to have a notice pub
lished lin the London Daily Times"
Il guess if we'd given them fellows
their money everything would have
been all right" said he, and express !
ed the view that the men we are /
with" do not seem to I
have any conscientious scruples.
NJ. Cantwell suggested that had
Mr.. Mason resigned as he should
have done under the circumstances,
4 great deal of annoyance would have
been avoided, and on this he and Mr..
knight agreed.
One of the trustees was present
out did not engage in the discussion,
most of which was by NJ. knight.
There seems to be confusion in the {
minds of some people as to the effect {
If the action sought to be brought i
bout on special tax school districts, !
many people confusing special tax t
chOol districts with county school t
'oard districts. There is no relation c
'etween the two. A special school a
istrict, of which there are several in f
he county, is a district in which the v
axpayers may, by vote, levy special v
ak upon the property of the district
or the use of schools within that r
istrict. County school board dis
riots correspond TO county commits C
toner's districts, and the establish d
lent of county school board districts IL
r changing the lines of such districts Il
oes not effect special tax school dis Il
'icts. A special tax school district n
light lie partially in all three county 81
,hOol board districts, or a part of V
special tax district might lie in one Il
)unty and the remainder in another in
,unty without effecting the privileg-
; and rights Of the people of the dis W
'ict. Indeed, this is the case with fC
me of the Charlotte county dis m
lets, division of DeSoto county of
iving divided the districts. Thus ri
part of the Fort ogden special tax of
strict lies in Charlotte county and
e remainder in DeSoto county. al
lille there is no relation between er
unity school board districts and G.,
ecial tax school districts in so far pi
their organization are concerned, by
cir interests might be effected by uI
lequal representation, or no repre- bi
ntation, which is one of the con- DC
ntions of the trustees. di
The matter of establishing the pro-
sed districts will come up again at ap
e regular meeting of the board on
Dnday. which is the day set by the bu
dge for the board to answer the fri
it issued by him.
Mr.. Knight brought up the matter fol
prices charged for school books,