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The writer makes some good points about the impact that some changes would make on the bloated district budget, but loses his credibility when he makes the oft-repeated claim about how a fancy new building will be some sort of magic bullet to make students 'proud' and obviously therefore, improve their proficiency in the subjects they are being taught. Hogwash. The kids will hang in there for 4 years until they get pushed out the other end, just as unprepared for the real world as the ones who went through in the last decade with mediocre scores. Our educational leadership has resorted to gilding the cages to impress the parents and some gullible members of the public but the results continue to be unspectacular. The parents or non-parents , as the case may be, are the real key to student performance and it might prove to be a better answer to bribe the adults to take more interest in their kids education , but it needs to happen at the high school, not elementary level. The little kids do fairly well -it's the high school scores that fall off.

I think Mr. Doug Van Sant needs to wake up and smell the coffee! He makes no mention of the 15 Million Dollars the Capital School District has in reserves which if applied could in fact off set any school tax increase for the residents. It has been done in other district's without a Referendum. As far as new leadership in the school district is concerned I agree with the previous writter we need a change of the guard. You, say that it may not account for anything, but it's worth a try. As Harry Truman, once said the "Buck Stops Here" Mr. Van Sant I know you are a  supporter and personal friend of Dr. Thomas, based on your current and previous writings but it's time for him to go. I don't speak for everyone nor do you but it appears from the amount of posted letter's that people are concerned and want change in the school district. As a parent of a HS student I don't blame the teachers as you do for poor test scores and performance I blame the Administration for the sole reason that the teachers are told what to do by Administration. If the teacher's were left to teach instead of being mico-managed, I think we might have a different out come. As far as the recent school board election didn't Mr. Lindell who you criticize win that election overwhelmingly by a majority of votes over your candidate Karen Clements? I rest my case, the people spoke! 

Mr. Van Sant states he is, "struck by the ambiguity of the school-district critics and their dependence on slogans and unsubstantiated claims."  He then proceeds to write commentary of this very nature.  

I salute those Dover High School students who have demonstrated academic excellence.  At the same time, if Dover High School students are doing so well, how can it be that the school has been placed into "partnership" status?  Yes, Mr. Van Sant, education money should be targeted for areas that directly result in greater student achievement, not into unwarranted administrator pay raises and bloated administrative overhead.  The simple fact of the matter is that the school superintendent is, in effect, the leader for the school district administrative team.  A key function of that position is to lead.  By all accounts, Dr Thomas has failed in fulfilling that critical aspect of his job.  Mr. Van Sant apparently wants to put student failures at the feet of the school teachers. 

I have yet to read or hear of anyone Mr. Van Sant names as being critical of Capitol school board decisions heap ridicule upon the school district, or declare they are determined to create a second-rate school system.  He specifically names school board members Mr. Brian Lewis and Mr. Matt Lindell.  He continues in this vein by singling out Mr. Lindell, posing a series of invidious questions, none of which have an answer.  Such comments do nothing to advance an understanding of the issues faced by anyone interested in them.   

Mr. Van Sant seems to indentify himself closely with the advancement of a number of Capitol School District initiatives.  In particular, he writes of being a Capitol School Board member from 2002-2007, when the foundation was established for the construction of the new high school, and possibly the new district office and professional development buildings.  Despite the onset of the most serious economic problems the nation in general, and Dover in particular, have faced (and continue to face), nothing detered school board spending on a breath-taking scale for the facilities mentioned.  Having followed the issue for some years, the only published rationale I can recall being mentioned by a school administrator or school board member for even building a new high school is that the current high school lacked space for expansion of athletic fields.  

Even today, the doubtful mentality of free spending prevails.  At a recent school board meeting, the question arose concerning the brick facade of the new high school.  I listened as the EDIS construction representative frankly stated that the expensive brick included in the architectural concept was no more likely to last longer than ordinary construction brick.  Noteworthy was school board member Ms. Dietz-Sass's praise for the expensive brick, which was $130,000 more than regular construction brick.   When the board voted upon the brick issue, the only vote against this "gold-plated" expenditure was that of Mr. Lewis.  That sum could be one of those amounts that Mr. Van Sant characterizes as a "small item in a very big budget," as he does administrator pay and raises.  It is all of those "small items" which make up the "very big budget."  

Even more recently, the school board voted to raise taxes on Capitol school district residents.  Mr. Van Sant wrote to criticize those who want to curb spending within the school district.  Perhaps he can persuade the school administrators to explain why a tax increase is necessary, in light of the fact that the district has $15,000,000 (yes, 15 with six zeroes following) held in a fund. . . for what reason?  It is not unusual for a school district to have a "rainy day" fund.  It is highly unusual for one to be such a large sum.  I understand that other, similarly-sized districts inDelawarehave funds running one-fifth the size of the Capitol fund.  How can this be? 

Finally, in addressing the larger issue of school construction spending, Mr. Van Sant writes of the new high school that, ". . .a modern high school that will, hopefully, inspire students to take pride in it and respond positively to its advanced learning environment."   This seems support the idea that spending large sums of money on facilities and equipment will result in advancement of student achievement.  Those believing in such an idea may want to examine what happened with the Kansas City (MO) school system over a ten year period (late 1980's to late 1990's).  It is a stark lesson that spending does not student learning achieve. 

    Copied below is a letter to the editor submitted to the Delaware State News. You can post your opinions by clicking on "Reply."

I don't believe he has it backwards. I believe you are not telling the whole story. You want a private, for-profit corporation making money off education in Delaware if money has to be put into it. Taxpayer money shouldn't be paying off investors and stock holders who want a minimum 10% return. If the system needs investment, it needs it through municipal bonds, not by auctioning the schools off to the lowest bidder.

When seeking to fill positions that require more than average education, every business I know of in the other area has to beg for candidates. It isn't easy to get well-educated people to move to Dover. I'm not sure there would be affordable candidates for this position except perhaps a few with some seriously heavy baggage. The school system can't support any more baggage.