NP District trustees don’t deserve their monthly criticism

As reported in last Friday’s edition of this publication North Panola School District maintained its “D” rating determined by the State Department of Education, while showing improvement at two of its five schools, a drop in one school while maintaining the previous year’s score in two schools.
An overall rating of “D” is the sum of North Panola District.
While not the best results, it shows that progress has been made in some areas and that other areas need extra attention.
Meanwhile that district’s board of five trustees must listen to three minutes of monthly criticism from activist Julius Harris who uses the allotted time given to anyone who wishes to make comments at the end of each board meeting.
It’s his right to speak as per board rules and no open meeting would be considered legitimate without some means of addressing the governing body, whether it entails getting on the agenda and speaking or a comment period such as the one used by the North Panola district.
But being a school trustee is a thankless job and to know you will face public criticism each meeting, regardless of how well your duties are performed, has to be disheartening. But, it comes with the job.
Harris’ tirade last Tuesday concerned matters for which school board members are not responsible.
Harris took the opportunity to side with a citizen who was reprimanded by an officer of the law at a North Panola football game. Then he lambasted trustees for trying to close Crenshaw Elementary.
The function of a school trustee board is not to micromanage schools. Trustees are to make policy, approve a budget and hire a superintendent to run the school district using policy and funding trustees have approved.
Twice the NP school board has voted not to allow the discussion of closing Crenshaw Elementary and it has not been mentioned again at an official meeting.
Harris serves as president of Panola County’s Chapter of the NAACP and is elected to serve as District Two’s Election Commissioner.
His issue with the school board is not racial as that school’s community is almost totally African American. But for the life of me I don’t see how his negative input against the governing body advances anyone.
He claimed school officials were modern day “Pharisees and Sadducees,” trying to get money any way they can get it.
I have reported on school boards for over a 40-year period. None have ever earned or deserved statements or criticism such as this.