Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1954-07-24

sufficient, at least, to cope a little
better with their city cousins, who
sooner or later they must COM
pete with in the business, as we'll
as other fields.
Along this line. l was inter-
ested in the 1928 statistical data
Of the state department Of educa-
ton. Every comparison dealt with
dollars and cents and none with any
improvement in the other phases Of
common school education.
True, it takes money to run
schools. But what about the "rat
holes ?"
have it on the authority of
member of the school study recess
committee that an out of state con-
sultant told the group that unless
Mississippi's administrative ma
chinery was given complete over
haul, that regardless of how much
the legislature voted on the pres
ent basis of operation, at least S.
100000 would be wasted. And, to
the credit of the committee it re-
commended some vast improve
ments to plug those holes.
But, what happened? So-called
spokesman for education, in the
Legislature, opposed many of them.
Oddly, but as expected by reason
of the politics involved, the issues
opposed were those having to do
with changes on the policy and ad-
ministrative level.
; They included a proposal to do
away with an ex-officio board
which is the states top authority
!, in school matters; to remove the
superintendent from politics by
raising their qualifications and
) making them appointing. 1t was by
the hardest that proposal Great
ing special educational finance
commission gained approval. OPP
ponents charged it was curbing the
power of the state department.
The so-called legislative school
) block didn't want an independent
agency to deal with. They wanted
to retain the ex-officio board of
statewide elective officials, so poll
teal pressure could be applied to
them
The trouble has been that edu
cation was considered "commo-
dity" and not an obligation and re-
sponsibility in legislative circles.
On that premise, the legislature
retained the administrative as we'll
as legislative authority over
schools. Too long has there been a
legislative distrust of school Off
Gals. q suppose it stems from a
feeling that all they want is more
money!
But, frankly, which of the two is
better fitted to judge the educa-
tional needs?
How many states leave the
policy making, as well as fund dis
bursement, of their public schools
to ex-officio groups? Mississippi
does, and look what condition it has
created.
This is no reflection on the men,
bers of our -ex-officio state board
of education. Far from it. The at
torney general is more concerned
with the doings in his office and
his attention must be focused there.
Yet, he is called on with another
ex-officio official, the secretary of
state. to shape our school policies
and program. l don't know Of any
official who has more work to do
in his own official jurisdiction, in
Guiding supervision of. the two
state capitols, war memorial build
ing and new state office building,
than the secretary of state.
Yet, the legislature baked at
creation of an independent policy
making board.
Not content with the ex-officio
setup. the legislature has over the
wears limited it's authority, as we'll
as that of the state department OF
education. That's because of our
adherence to local level operations.
Few people outside the school
family realize that the state has no
authority over school funds once
thew reach the local level. That
limited jurisdiction of the state
level is one of the things that
brought about the recent supreme
court action.
Look what opposition to state
level interference with local polit
ical subdivisions in school matters
brought us-a directive all the way
from Washington applicable all the
way down to the smallest school
district.
Even in the face of the ruling,
the local levels insist that the
status quo will remain. If it does
it will because those who have en-
dured inequities in their educa-
tional opportunities, will voluntar-
lily agree to its continuance pro-
vided those disparities are removed
by action and not mere assurances.
In order to properly interpret
Mississippi's new educational pro-
gram, feel it is necessary to take
a look at some Of the other things
which brought it about-many
years late and after lot of un-
kept promises.
To say the least, Mississippi's
Negro school leaders have been
patient. Back in 1914, and even
before, they were promised that
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