By Steve Hunley

We constantly hear how our government and leaders don’t get it because they don’t live in the real world.  If anyone wanted more conclusive proof that is true, they don’t have to look very far.

One of the best examples of precisely that is our school system.  Dr. James McIntyre has just asked the Knox County Board of Education to change the process with regard to how he is evaluated.  You see, he doesn’t want to be evaluated by new Board members just after an election.  State law requires that he be evaluated once a year and it should surprise no one that a Board member (Lynn Fugate) dutifully presented a resolution to change the procedures on when Dr. McIntyre will be evaluated.

First of all, how many employees in the real world are allowed to evaluate themselves?  Secondly, how many get to tell their employees precisely how they wish to be evaluated?

Frankly, the Superintendent of Schools shouldn’t have a say in how he or she is evaluated.  The Superintendent shouldn’t be a part of that process.  Why would anyone in his or her right mind have confidence in a process controlled by the person being evaluated?

People need to have confidence in our government and institutions.  Unfortunately, it seems that fewer and fewer people have any confidence in our government and government officials.  Considering that the school system here gets almost 2/3 of every tax dollar, it is important folks have confidence in the Superintendent and Board.

Nobody likes a rigged game and that is pretty much exactly what the evaluation process has become.  Under the new proposal, sixteen months will pass between one evaluation and the next.

McIntyre is paid more than Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House John Boehner, and Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court John Roberts.    We’re not getting our money’s worth and the Board, with the exception of Mike McMillan, have become rubber stamps.  It’s no wonder so many people favor term limiting the Board members.