LISTEN TO PATRONS OF DISTRICT BEFORE MAKING BOND PLANS

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is once again exploring the possibility of a bond issue. The district hasn't built a new school for 30 years. Some of the buildings were built before World War I and are outdated for modern teaching.

The board listened this week to a St. Louis expert on bond issues from the A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc. investment firm. He offered some pretty sensible advice to the district. Don Bemis told the board that they need to learn what the community needs -- not just what they hear from civic clubs of which they are members or from people they associate with. He also said the school board must maintain a level of credibility and confidence with the people of the community.

Communication and credibility are two areas that need work in the district. The school board needs to discover what the voters want and not tell taxpayers what they need. The district has already lost three ballot issues since 1993. Cape Girardeau doesn't need a fourth failure.

The district must also address the issue of redistricting. Some district patrons see this as a ploy by the board to get voter approval of a bond issue. The perception might have been furthered this week's meeting to discuss bond-issue advice.

First off, the district needs to make its plans about redistricting clear. Will redistricting occur regardless of a bond issue? Why has redistricting come up now? Is it really necessary to put the district through the whole redistricting discussion?

Next, the district must seek public input and must listen to both supportive and unhappy patrons. And district board members and administrators must take the advice to heart. Board members must discover what they can do to raise the credibility of the board and administration to pass a bond issue.

Openness and a willingness to listen goes a long way with people. Bemis told the board that it is much easier to do things very autocratically, but the school districts that are successful are participatory. And that means involving all segments of the community.

At this moment, the board would be ill-advised to place a bond issue on the ballot. Too many hard feelings exist in the community toward the board and administration -- feelings that have been brewing since last May's last-minute graduation change whereby some seniors who hadn't met all graduation requirements were allowed to participate in commencement. A number of patrons say it wasn't the decision itself, but the defensive way the district responded to criticism that fueled the fires of misunderstanding.

Now is the time for the district to start opening the lines of communication and building the groundwork for a future successful bond issue. The district should wait until after Cape Girardeau's transportation tax is voted on in August. Two ballot issues could spell disaster for each other. Besides, the school district has much work to be done before another vote.

The board and administration need to build their confidence and credibility in the community, as Bemis advised. Only if all sides work together will a bond issue pass for the Cape Girardeau public schools.