SPEAKOUT

Some small items

MR. CLARK said his focus was on the big picture of the district budget that involves millions of dollars and that he may overlook some small personal expense items. Well, first $644 is not a small item. $1 or $2 is a small amount, but even $1 or $2 overlooked for very long adds up. What happened to men with honesty and integrity? Second, it sounds like Mr. Clark thinks that since he's superintendent he doesn't have to follow the same rules as everyone else. If one of the teachers or other staff had a "small" $644 personal expense, you can bet they wouldn't have a job next year. I applaud Amy Randol for having guts and actions to not back down and gather the facts she had. Good job, Amy. We need more parents like you. If I'm correct, aren't our tax dollars paying for these "small" personal expenses? Maybe if you want people to vote for your tax increases for buildings, etc., you need to make sure the money won't be wasted on "small personal expenses."

Self-serving viciousness

TO THE Missourian and your coverage on the paper trail. There's more regarding Amy Randol that you did not know or just did not report. She represents self-serving viciousness at its best. She even admits in one of the articles that you ran she probably would have quit questioning and investigating had they been nicer to her at the board office. It is no secret that she has particular loyalties to a principal who does not get along well with Dr. Clark and whose own job has been in question. If she was so truly concerned about education of children in Cape, she could find many more productive avenues in which to serve in that capacity.

Not-so-rosy picture

I WANTED to say bravo to the Southeast Missourian for all the coverage that you've been dedicating to the public school system in Cape Girardeau. I'm a very appreciative parent who's glad to informed of what the situations are in our school district, and it's unfair that the radio stations and the local television stations don't cover the entire story. They try to paint this rosy picture that our school system is just fine, and the Southeast Missourian has covered the story in all fairness, I believe, to state the facts and show when are things that aren't so rosy in the picture.

Carol needs perspective

When did Carol Keeler of KZIM get appointed publicity director for Neyland Clark and the Cape Girardeau Board of Education? If you can't be objective, at least get some perspective, Carol.

Listen to community

I AM not from the Cape Girardeau School District but I do want to make a comment about the Amy Randol/Neyland Clark issue. It seems that Neyland Clark and his cronies have finally been caught. Whenever these people realize that they're going to have to listen to what the community wants and not what they want themselves. When they quit being such an elitist group, then schools can get back to education. I want to tell Amy Randol, even though I don't know her, my hat is off to you. Keep up the good work. I admire you for your stamina and for going after Neyland Clark. I can't believe how, I'm not sure the word I'm looking for, arrogant he has been on his travel expenses. Again, Amy Randol, keep up the good work. Maybe the elite will understand that the rest demand to be heard.

Try tape over mouth

MAYBE INSTEAD of Lyle Davis wearing a T-shirt with a bullseye on it and a credit card on his lapel, maybe he ought to wear a piece of tape over his mouth so he can keep his mouth shut. It seems every time he opens it, it gets him into hot water. I sure am glad he's going off the school board. Just in passing, the question of dishonesty needs to be examined. The only honest ones on there is Steve Wright and Bob Fox.

Arrogance is exposed

I WANT to thank the Southeast Missourian for running their little expose on the school board here in Cape. Many people have criticized this because of the pettiness of some of the things, but I think the time to address a problem is when it's petty before it gets to be a real problem. The overall theme of the whole thing exposes arrogance that administrators and the school board have and they seem to forget that it's our money that they're spending.

HURRAY FOR Amy Randol. We back her 100 percent. Thank you for letting the public know the truth.

Sick leave

THIS IS to address the issue of Neyland Clark's leave of absence for a health condition. I certainly hope that he has checked with the school and made sure he has not used his allotted eight days this semester. If so, I hope that he that he does return to the school promptly before the eight days are used up. I have a daughter who has been fighting a cold and flu for the last three weeks, and she has tried desperately to stay in school so she won't be punished for being ill. I certainly hope Mr. Clark will return to school before his eight day allotment or maybe those days don't apply to him since he is one of the top bigwigs. But being sick should show an example to the children that I don't need any more than eight days to get well either.

Change the players

THIS IS in response to Sunday's editorial. The last two paragraphs referred to ways of rectifying the situation with the credit card use in the school board administration, establishing and implementing a clearly written and detailed policy for all those authorized to follow, limiting the number of credit cards in circulation or possibly doing away with the credit cards and implementing a new policy. Better yet instead of changing the rules of the game so that those authorized to play can play fairly, change the players who will know how to play by the rules from the start.

Need a new lens

COULD SOMEONE tell how to get in touch with the school board, because I need a new lens for my camera and I'd like to take a few photographs and then have them buy me a new lens. I'd like that a lot.

Stress of the job

I BELIEVE the job of the superintendent has proved to be too stressful for Dr. Clark. He probably should resign for health purposes and for the betterment of the community. It sure would help support our schools and our feelings in the community a lot better if was just to resign rather than being asked to leave. It has become a matter of trust and dishonesty now as everything has come out to prove in black and white. I don't see how it can be disputed now that it has been proved.

Call for resignations

THE FOLLOWING is a message to Ms. Kathy Swan, Mr. Ed Thompson, Mr. Pat Ruopp and Dr. Clark. Guys, the problem is not the fact that the credit cards have been misused. In itself, this problem probably could have been overlooked. The problem is not that the bid went out for the purchase for radio contracts with a certain agency. The fact is this agency is the by far is the best in Southeast Missouri and would take care of the problems as they arose. These problems exist only because of the dishonesty of the four of you. And this is the problem, just like what President Nixon did, but he was dishonest and had to suffer the consequences. Right now we are not able to see that you guys are removed from the board, but you could resign just like Nixon did and you could make the same statement: I am not a crook. I don't see how you can continue to do what you do and know that by continuing to serve on the board and serve as superintendent of schools, that you are definitely hurting the children of Cape Girardeau, you're hurting the teachers of Cape Girardeau and you're hurting any further building plans for the school system in Cape Girardeau. Please resign.

Accountability factor

I AM thoroughly disgusted with this credit card mess involving the school system. One board member was quoted as saying, "Let's not point fingers, let's get this fixed." This is not something that should be glossed over and forgotten. In my opinion, these people should be held accountable when they have used a school credit card. They should all resign. I don't buy any of their excuses. Sloppy record-keeping is a joke. These people are supposedly educated and should know better. Let's cancel the credit cards and ask for their resignations. Perhaps Mrs. Randol could run for the school board. I certainly would vote for her.

Time to investigate

I THINK it's time the taxpayers of the community hire their own auditor to investigate the misuse of funds. I'm sure Amy Randol didn't see all the vouchers. We need a full-blown audit, and we definitely do not need a auditor hired by Dr. Clark.

WHAT ARE the IRS auditors waiting for? A complete audit of Superintendent Clark's personal misuse of our taxpayer dollars should be a great place for them to start. I would expect criminal charges to be filed against him since the same abuse was also uncovered in Kentucky.

Thanks, Amy Randol

THIS IS in reference to the Board of Education and the things that have been going on in the superintendent's office. Amy Randol, I don't know who you are, but all of us should be thankful for the kind of things you've done. You've identified some school people with amnesia and also exposed their moral fiber or lack thereof. I do hope you told Mr. Thompson that merchants will sell anything tax free as long the sales tax number is supplied. If one uses the number inappropriately, that's called fraud, not smart business. An unsuccessful bidder for communications equipment, was portrayed as a whiner. It seems as though the specs were not performance specs. A brand name was incorporated in the specs and only Johnson Communications could supply. The way Dittronics and Star Communications were treated, I'd whine too if I were treated that way also. When money is short, why is it always a threat to discontinue a school program but with the perks it's business as usual? It appears that a house-cleaning is in order. Again, thanks for you effort, and I do hope folks remember your exposure when we hear the need for more taxes for education.

Dealing with controversy

REPORTERS AT the Missourian did an excellent job covering the story on the Cape Girardeau Public Schools credit card issue. I'm sure you will be inundated with calls because there's so much to be outraged over. I have just a few comments. First of all, I am amazed at Dr. Clark's statement that the quality of life for the Clark family has not been good. All educators know that you face at times with considerable unhappiness from parents, etc. And Dr. Clark certainly must realize the higher you rise in a district, the more controversy you're going to have to face. And if the quality of life so poor, why hasn't he left? Second of all, I don't know Mrs. Randol and have never met her, but I do know that she has every right to check into and question the practices of the school district. How Dr. Clark considers this to be extortion, I have no idea. Third, Dr. Clark only turns in documentation about half the time and the business manager spends valuable time tracking down Dr. Clark's expenses. If documentation is to be turned in and Dr. Clark chooses not do to so, he is violation of district policy and practices. Perhaps, like Mrs. Randol, he should be required to reimburse the district for the special supervision he received. As a teacher I am sickened by what is going on here in Cape, and I think the time has come for us to do something about it. Again, if Dr. Clark feels his quality of life is not very high here, I'm sure he can find someplace else where it will be better.

We need more Amys

I WOULD like to say hurrah to Amy Randol. It's about time someone dug in the corruption in our schools and what they're spending our tax money for. They have to go out of town for their retreat when there's plenty of places here in Cape they can have it. And I admire Amy to fullest extent for her time and trouble and expense and digging into this and bringing it to the surface. We need more Amys to do things like this.

Others hounded out

WE CHOSE Cape Girardeau for our home over 40 years ago and have never regretted our choice. However, since the big the dispute over the location of the Show Me Center a few years ago, it seems that the residents of the city are continually in an uproar over something or other. As for this superintendent of school question, weren't the last two school officials hounded out of office? Doesn't that say something about our city residents?

Thank you, Amy Randol

I WOULD like to say a big thank you to Amy Randol for her continued effort of looking into Cape Public School administration. Last year I attended a few school board meetings after the graduation uproar. I spoke to school board members and Dr. Clark personally, and I came away as Amy did, as if my opinion didn't matter. After a while, I put it all aside and am waiting for school board elections to further voice my opinion, but I am very happy that Amy had the initiative to continue attending the meetings and looking into records that should concern us all. I am sending Amy a check to say thank you. If everyone who feels as I do would send Amy a little something, she would be reimbursed for her efforts. Thanks again, Amy. We need more concerned parents like you in Cape Girardeau.

Amy Randol was right

AFTER READING and looking at the pictures of the bills paid by credit card by members of the school board and some of them signed by other members, I want now to thank Mrs. Randol for her determined effort to find out the problems of the school board and to apologize to her for not believing her in the first place. I intend to send her money for her personal expenses. At first, I thought she was just causing problems for the board for her own benefit, but we now find her right. The school board, as it is, will never pass a tax for in school or anything else. The first thing the board needs to do is fire Mr. Tim Niggle. He has no business being in the school system. They then should get rid of their attorney. They then should all resign, although there are two or three members that could be re-elected. I'm talking about the three that were not called in for the meeting with the Missourian. As for the president of the board, in my opinion, he should not even be on the board. People will never trust this board again. Mrs. Randol, you should run for school board and should be elected president of the board. I think she could win this easily. That is the kind of members we need on the school board. Finally, maybe we ought to call in the state auditor to really examine the books for this and practices in the past. I have been a paying member of school tax for a long time and have never mistrusted the board or anything, but now I find some of the things are not totally up to Hoyle.

No confidence

TAXPAYERS, did you see on the front page of the Missourian how the school board was spending our tax money? Ed Thompson, $39 for food and $8.29 for alcohol. Lyle Davis, over $27 for video movies. And Mr. Clark, not turning his receipts. And they think we will vote for a tax to build a school. Never until some of the school board and Clark are gone.

Other cards too?

I HAVE some questions for the Cape school board. What other type of credit cards are in the hands of Cape public school officials? Do they have telephone cards? How about gasoline cards? Which members have them? Do those credit card statements reflect personal usage charged to the taxpayer? I think we need full disclosure immediately.

Clark forgot?

SO NEYLAND Clark, he said he forgot to pay for this BART to take his wife up to St. Louis. What a joke. Why in the heck didn't he pay out of his own account to send his wife up to St. Louis? I say throw the bum out, all of them over there. We don't need somebody like that.

Here's a recommendation

THREE CHEERS for Amy Randol. How stupid does the Cape Girardeau Board of Education think the public is? I am so sick of hearing about the recommendations they are going to give. If Ed Thompson, board president, had any decency he would step down. Now there's a recommendation. This board has embarrassed our community enough. Why can't they admit they made a big mistake hiring Neyland Clark and get rid of him? We can't afford a superintendent who is going to be so careless with our taxes. And this board wants the taxpayers to give more. If the board abuses credit cards, there's no telling what else they will abuse. Let's have a recall election come April and put new faces on the board of education.

Deserves applause

AMY RANDOL deserves a round of applause. She has saved taxpayers many hours of work, let alone a lot of money. I can't begin to list all that she has done for our school. She is very active for the Jefferson PTA, drug team, Jefferson's RIF program and a smiling face to all our children as a school volunteer. I think we should all express our gratitude for what she has done for the Cape public schools. How dare the board office charge her a fee to look at public files. They owe her an apology and should thank her for all her hard work. She's the best of the best in my book. Don't give up, Amy. We are with you.