Welcome to our online chat with Cille King. The chat took place on Thursday, March 20, at 3:00 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Welcome, everybody, to today’s live chat with school board candidate Cille King.

Moderator: We’ll take our first question …

Lawrence Resident: Could you explain how the district says we are going to save 1.4 million dollars from the closures of the three schools? If Randy quit tomorrow, do we save his 120,000 plus salary even though we need to replace him?

Cille King: The school district says they will save $1.4 milion by closing 3 schools, but many of us doubt those savings. Two of the three buildings are going to stay in use, so there will be no maintenance or utility savings, many (most) of the staff will still be employed, the new construction will add several thousand more square feet to maintain.

And if Randy quit tomorrow, we would still have to pay someone else to be superintendent.

Jill: How do you propose the district balance its operating budget if the bond does not pass?

Cille King: The district will have the same problems in balancing the budget if the bond passes or not. I believe that the district needs to be proactive in seeking funds during this time of insufficient state funding. They need to seek funds from the business community and private citizens. They need to take another look at the district staff – we have one of the largest percentages of administrators of many school districts. You can see some of the numbers if you go to my web site; www.cilleking.org. So far, the district has only considered cutting programs instead of looking for more funding sources.

Anonymous: Why do you think you are qualified to be on the school board?

Cille King: I have been a long time resident of Lawrence, I have two children in public schools, I have two degrees: in Human Development and Family Life and in Architecture. I care about our students, our schools, our neighborhoods, our environment. I’ve been a community member of this and the previous school facilities committtee. I see a lack of understanding on the board and the district staff concerning building and energy issues and I feel that I could contribute in that area as well as the acedemic.

Anonymous: Tell me, really, is the district’s administrative staff bloated?

¢ 6News video: School board candidate Cille King chats with voters

Cille King: The national numbers say they are at the top in percent of administrative staff. There was some effort to reduce staff, but I believe we still have more than we did in 1999.

Anonymous: Should the school board require all secondary principals and top-level administrators to teach a class?

Cille King: That’s an interesting idea and I think there might be some merit to it. However, I would have to study it more before making a decision.

Accountant: How can we have more administrators when Mr. Weseman stated he saved 600,000 in administration costs?

Cille King: From my research, it appears that the “$600,000 savings” came from 1) eliminating unfilled positions, and 2) reorganizing staff and giving them different titles. I don’t really mean to sound cynical.

Steve: Should our school board members be elected from districts instead of at large?

Cille King: I think the current “at large” system works well.

jimmy: I think we need a bond issue, but I do not like how the current bond issue is structured. I feel the school board is making an effort to scare the voters into accepting a bloated bond issue. How do you feel about the bond issue?

Moderator: Please know that we have several, several questions that are being asked. And, yes, there must be at least two “Steves” asking questions.

Cille King: I also feel that the school board is scareing voters into voting for the bond – by saying that they will close schools in matter what – and by implying that this is the only bond that they will consider.

Its true that this school board has the notion that the only way to educate children is in two or more section schools. This defies logic – it been only in our recent history that we have had big schools.

I think a new board with 4 new members can create a new, smaller, better bond which addresses our needs rather than a notion of an educational plan that is arbitary (in my mind).

Steve: If the bond doesn’t pass, which extra-curricular activities do you propose we cut first?

Cille King: I don’t want to cut any activites – I think it takes a large number or programs to involve our students. I would like to look at efficiencies, staff, energy, redundanices, and so on and looking for more funding sources. And having said that, if we were still short, I would look for the largest savings that impacted the least number of students.

Lawrence Resident 2: From my research Mr. Weseman is the 7th highest paid superintendent (wages and benefits) and our teachers’ average salary is the 50th highest in the state. Does that sound “equitable” to you?

Cille King: I hadn’t heard those numbers before. No, that does not sound equitable. I wonder, is Mr. Weseman at the 7th largest school district in the state?

Regardless of what Mr. Weseman makes (cutting his salary in half wouldn’t give much to the teachers), our teachers do need a raise in salary, and I would work to achieve that.

Kyrk: According to the bond issue, the “consultants” who got paid to recommend for the future, will be paid approx. $4.8 million up front if the bond passes. Then they will be paid to manage all the construction that they have recommended, for a substantial fee! Does this smack of a serious conflict of interest and highly unethical? Please explain.

My second question is about the bond also. Why does the bond claim to be a 20 year plan, but only catches the city schools up to current. There are lots of buildings that need repaired or replaced, especially South Jr. High, but the Bond issue only providess for bringing up to current standards and not providing for the probably growth over the next 20 years. How do we address this when/if we have to do another bond issue 5-10 years from now to upgrade again? Sounds like poor planning to me.

Cille King: DLR perfers to have their fee tied to a bond – it can be so much larger. It does seem to be a conflict of interest – the bigger bond they can get to pass – the bigger their fee. I don’t believe its unethical, just questionable.

I raised this second question with some current school board members. They acknowledged that this bond is the first phase.

Anonymous: What is your position on the teaching of creationism or “Intelligent Design” in school science classes?

Cille King: I believe in teaching evolution. Creationism or Intelligent Design is not science.

Moderator: That’s it for today’s live online chat with Cille King. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Cille King: Thank you and please vote on April 1.

Moderator: We want to thank Cille King for her time. And thanks to everbody for joining us. Our next live chat is with Scott Morgan, at 10 a.m. Monday, March 24.