No fair. Everyone got a low-cost carrier but me!

Southwest Airlines’ decision to serve Charleston and Greenville was the best economic development news for South Carolina since Boeing’s announcement (especially sans the economic incentives given to Boeing, which came with blatant anti-union haterade).  For me, it means that the days of paying $500 to connect through Charlotte (or enduring I-95 traffic) in order to see my momma might be numbered.  For our backwards state, it means we can check one more item off the list of reasons to “thank God for Mississippi” (our unofficial motto of thanks for the Magnolia State being 50^th where we’re 49^th, although Jackson already has Southwest service).

After a few good hours of happiness, stories like this tempered my excitement.  In a similar story, Ike McLeese of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce said:

“If we were to do that, then we would start losing flights and that presents very serious economic development issues. Especially when the two communities that you’re competing with are so close by and they have Southwest.”

Ike, you’re competing with Columbia and Greenville?  That’s like kids fighting over the new fancy bubbly bathtub recently installed in the family double-wide.  South Carolina has no where to go but up… together.

I’ve always been perplexed that Charleston County has 16 municipalities (many with their own police department in addition to a county-wide Sheriff), several public service, water, sewer, and fire districts, a school system (with a county-wide board and eight additional constituent school boards), a county parks and recreation commission (for which I have a soft spot, despite being in addition to municipal parks), and a powerful state legislative delegation (appointing an airport authority, among other autonomous boards).

One of Gov. Mark Sanford’s few achievements (other than keeping it real) was admitting that a primary goal of the racist 1895 Constitution (which still governs our state) was devolving government into smaller units in order to break up the votes of the then-majority black populace.  Somehow, South Carolina issues can always be traced back to race.

New York City’s mayor and council govern 8,000,000 people.  In Charleston County, sixteen mayors and councils govern 348,000 people.  For those who hate New York City comparisons, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, NC, offer streamlined governance of 890,000 people.

It’s no surprise that there is intra-county/intra-metro economic development competition.  And now more intra-state competition.  Stop the madness!

Quake safety

The Post and Courter printed my letter to the editor on the Charleston school earthquake controversy:

I’m incensed about the Charleston County School District’s proposal to temporarily move students at five downtown schools to alternate sites. Although no one wants the blood of children on their hands in an earthquake, this proposal is hasty, disjointed and suspicious.

Since 1886 Charlestonians have been well aware of the area’s susceptibility to major earthquakes. Why is CCSD suddenly concerned about earthquake safety, especially after it borrowed and spent hundreds of millions of dollars for several recent major facility improvement initiatives? Since downtown enrollment is obviously declining, will all schools be re-opened? If certain schools won’t be re-opened, why should they be renovated?

I predict that the by-product of this proposal will be the controversial and divisive reorganization of all downtown schools to appeal to economically advantaged and primarily white families that have repopulated the peninsula. Downtown schools should have always appealed to all families, but there has to be a better way to cleanly break away from de facto segregation.

Reorganization is necessary since most minority and poorer families have moved away or been displaced from the peninsula. However, this proposal reeks of bait and switch and is offensive to generations of African-American families who wonder, “Why all the fuss now?” Before spending a dime, CCSD should facilitate an honest and realistic conversation about the future of downtown schools and establish a consensus around an intelligent and inclusive school-reopening plan.

School board changes seismic plan again.

Third time is not a charm, but is a slight improvement.

The Meaning of James Simons Elementary at “Marlowe Park.”

Media outlets have widely reported that among the downtown schools soon to be temporarily relocated due to an excruciatingly predictable earthquake emergency, James Simons Elementary will move to trailers placed on “Marlowe Park.”  These reports rely upon the school district’s own materials, which refer to “the Marlowe campus–an open piece of land downtown, located near the Longborough subdivision.”

There is no such place as “Marlowe Park.”  The school district surely means Corinne Jones Park, which is indeed located near the Longborough subdivision on Marlow (sans the letter “e”) Drive.  Furthermore, neighborhood folks (like me) refer to the site by its unofficial name, Hester Park, and would note that a trailer park school will be located in the middle of historic Wagner Terrace, not merely “near” the nascent-by-Charleston-standards Longborough subdivision.

This seemingly minor error illuminates a larger problem: a decision made without patient and inclusive consideration of historical, emotional, and practical ramifications.  Unfortunately, when it comes to education, bad decisions are the community norm.  Because of the inefficient and duplicative nature of segregation, downtown has more classroom space than necessary.  Because of white flight, downtown schools are 99% black despite the area being relatively diverse.  Because of neglect and bandages like Buist Academy, generations of Charlestonians – especially African Americans – have suffered and continue to suffer from a substandard educational foundation and limited upward mobility.  And it pains me to theorize that downtown’s nearly-complete demographic shift is what truly animates this faux-emergency.

No one wants the blood of child earthquake victims on their hands.  But, what’s with the rush – especially for a district constantly complaining of budget shortfalls?  In an area with declining enrollment, is there a plan for how many and where students will return?  If fewer students will return, why spend money renovating all the existing schools?  Is there room to consolidate students in new buildings?  Finally, the elephant in the room: surely the re-opened schools will not be 99% black in an area where gentrification is nearly complete.  Why not begin an anticipatory community dialogue about an obviously divisive future reality?

The public is concerned about much more than distance, traffic and trailers, although logistical concerns also merit attention.  The School Board should do better than pit the thought of a school building crumbling on top of children against valid questions.  If there is anything unique about Charleston, it’s our connection with history.  A long history of bad School Board decisions makes citizens rightfully suspicious.  After all: we are the ones who sat in – and whose children sit in – these suddenly unsafe facilities.

Unfortunately, in this case there is evidence that those closest to the matter weren’t included.  If they had been, at the minimum someone would have noticed and corrected “Marlowe Park.”