Wake County School Superintendent Bill McNeal told the News and Observer, (5/16/06) he could never recommend a measly $625 million School Bond. McNeal said he couldn’t put kids in schools with adequate heating, air-conditioning and a roof that doesn’t leak for $625 million.

Huh?

The superintendent is saying if he doesn’t get a billion dollar School Bond children are going to be sitting in classrooms freezing in the winter, burning up in the summer and with buckets on the floor to catch the rain from the leaky roof when there is a storm.

If that’s true – if Bill McNeal is telling the cold hard truth and not practicing a little political hyperbole – I don’t think the people of Wake County would deny him his billion dollars.

But is it true that $625 million means kids will be sitting in classrooms where the roof leaks? Either the School Board or the County Commissioners should ask McNeal to prove it. If he does voters will probably be inclined to pass his bonds.

But he does not – well, what do you do with a School Superintendent who engages in political hyperbole to frighten people to raise taxes?

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