According to the Argus Leader, the Legislative Research Council's Executive Board has signed off an audit of the South Dakota Coalition of Schools called for by Attorney General Larry Long.
Long asked for an audit of the books of schools that support the lawsuit and of the coalition. He said it's illegal for a school district to spend public tax money to challenge a state law.
This was my main point in my Rapid City Journal column a few weeks ago: it's silly (if not illegal) for one government entity to sue another government entity for more tax dollars.
Government entities suing other government entities for more money makes about as much sense as a husband suing his wife for more hunting or fishing money, or a wife suing her husband for more money to spend on clothes.
But it appears those that need auditing the most aren't likely to get it. From the Argus:
He [AG Long] also told Guindon by letter that if an audit of the several schools were too expensive and time-consuming, then the audit should cover the coalition's books. That's what Guindon proposes to do, with the legislature's endorsement.
They can probably find out what they need to by looking at the South Dakota Coalition of Schools' books, but it's not really the group that's over the line. While I disagree with the lawsuit, it's their right to give it a try. What's uncalled for is a gov't department (the schools) getting involved in it. They should not behave as activists, but as the servants of the people, paid by the people, that they are.
If people believe the schools aren't receiving "adequate" funding, they can hire a tutor, put their kids in a private school, homeschool them, or elect legislators who see school funding issues the way they do.
That's the correct process in a representative democracy, not getting the courts involved every time we don't like something.
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