Didn't want to jump the publication on this, but just got this week's paper and they ran it, nicely placed under the editorial cartoon. The Newport Daily News told me yesterday they plan to run it as well, and ProJo sent me an e-mail to verify my address, but no promise from them. Thanks to Eileen and one of my Portsmouth readers for the feedback on my initial rant that pushed this along.

Oh, and a big shout out to Ralph Malafont, for the work he's been doing.

To the editor:
Superior Court Judge Gilbert Indeglia, in his ruling in last week's Portsmouth Caruolo action, made a strange and provocative suggestion about the need for highly qualified finance directors in public schools.

He ruled that a full-time finance director was not a Caruolo requirement, and then went on to say, "I wish school departments would use some of the many talented retired business people to assist in the running of school departments to bring their expertise [...] and they would work for less money."

I find this bizarre. Can you imagine a judge in, say, a bankruptcy case of a 32-million-dollar business making a similar suggestion? Or any other municipal agency? Is Judge Indeglia aware that this runs counter to the position of RIDOE, which says, "Virtually every study on positive school change verifies that effective and sustainable school reform depends on exceptional school leadership." (see http://www.ridoe.net/hqlp/ridephilosophyonleadership.aspx )

It's common in our society to underestimate the professional nature of education. But it's still shocking to hear a Superior Court judge, from the bench, reinforce that myth.

If you treat management as a cost center, rather than a source of strategic vision, you are ignoring the evidence of the last fifty years of management theory and practice. When was the last time some retired, 40% duffer turned around a major corporation?

But perhaps I underestimate the judge's commitment. If deprofessionalizing the public sector is good because it will save the taxpayer money, why stop with school administration? I suspect that Superior Court judges make more than school finance directors, and I'm willing to bet that there are a few retired lawyers in Rhode Island who'd be willing to do the job part time and save us all some money. Could we find someone to advocate this proposal from the bench?

What do you say, Judge Indeglia?