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From Mark's Desk:
January 15, 2005
Letters 01/15: Messing with facts on special districts Commercial Appeal
For you to imply in Thursday's lead editorial ("Consolidation's one-man parade") that I lack concern for the children in Memphis City Schools reveals The Commercial Appeal's lack of concern for accurate reporting in this instance. At a minimum, it demonstrates a lack of understanding and lack of communication with your own reporters.
As I explained to your Nashville bureau chief on Wednesday, restoring the ability to create special school districts to state law could benefit all schools in Shelby County including the City of Memphis schools. The optimum size of a school district should not exceed 50,000 students. Memphis needs several more manageable districts, not one unmanageable district. My legislative initiative would provide the statutory framework to make this possible.
By giving the Shelby County School Board more funding autonomy, a special district for the county schools could free the Shelby County Commission to devote more time and funding to the Memphis schools. I know. I was chairman of education while a county commissioner, and I had the responsibility for funding both city and county school systems.
I have worked on the special district initiative, as county commissioner and senator, for nearly 10 years. I even got a unanimous resolution of support for it from the commission back then and, under the sponsorship of former senator Tom Leatherwood, passed it in the state Senate. It failed in the House.
After so many years of effort, for you to say that I have "cooked up" special district legislation simply to erect insurmountable barriers once again demonstrates your lack of understanding.
You are correct that deciding what's best for public education should not be decided on the basis of how people feel about the city mayor. The same could be said for people's feelings about The Commercial Appeal. We would all be better served if all would stick with the facts.
Sen. Mark Norris
Collierville
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