Opus 2011-87, The Williams Act

We are wasting money and teaching time because of the action of a judge.  Years ago a student felt like he was not being given the proper books by the school district.  He went to court.  Instead of dealing with the problem it became a class action suit.  Two different accounts were ordered to be set up, one for $150 million and another for $50 million.  Like most attempts by judges to run society no consideration was given to whether the resources were available to achieve the dream.  As a result, a whole new bureaucracy has developed.

Now we pay people big bucks to come around to our school, stand in front of each class and ask the students, “Do you all have a book issued to you?”  The students answer, “Yes.”  The well paid adult leaves to go to lunch.

I have been teaching for 24 years now.  In our district we have always provided books.  The availability depended on how many were destroyed by students, not on whether they were purchased and put in the students hands.  When I started, I taught science.  We had enough books to provide one to take home and a room set.  It is the ideal situation.  As students lost and destroyed the books and did not pay for them, the supply decreased.  We came to the point where we had enough for individual issue but no room sets.  The destruction continued.  Eventually, because students were not being forced to pay for their sabotage, we were down to only room sets.  The cause of the shortage was not lack of books purchased but irresponsible destruction by students. 

Currently the librarian is desperately trying to find books to give out.  At the beginning of the year each student was issued a book.  We had plenty and a reserve supply.  When students lost a book some would pay for them and receive another book.  The money would be sent to the district, never to be seen again.  One less in our reserve.  Some students would plead poverty and would get another book.  One less in our reserve.  By this time there are no more.  Where are the Williams people when we need them?  Why are we required to give another book to someone who has a long history of losing books?  Politics and judges.

The Williams Act also pays people to walk through and look at our rooms.  They point out things like extension cords that are too long, the floors are not clean enough, doorways blocked by desks, and the most important part:  Is the notice posted stating that there is a Williams Act.  We are not supposed to have any extension cords more than six feet long.  That is hard when the projector needs to be farther from the screen.  Doors are blocked because we have too many students in the room.  Maybe they should call the fire marshal rather than tell us to move the chairs.  The notice is for parents to read.  As if parents come down to my room and read the notices I have posted on the wall.  This is your tax dollars at work.

Elections have consequences.  Governors and Presidents appoint judges.  Judges make decisions.  You pay for those decisions.

The answer to this problem?  Vote differently. 

homo unius libri