See You In Court! CABE Monthly Column
“See You In Court!” is written by Thomas Mooney and appears in the CABE Journal, a publication of the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.
Bob Bombast, veteran member of the Nutmeg Board of Education, has been frustrated by the perennial need to reduce the Board’s budget request before submitting it to the Nutmeg Board of Finance and its parsimonious Chair, Seymour Dollars. Bob was delighted, therefore, to reconnect with his high school friend, Big Bucks, who has recently moved back to Nutmeg after making his fortune in tech. Bob saw an opportunity to supplement the Board budget by talking Big into making a large donation to the Nutmeg Public Schools.
Bob met Big for coffee to make his pitch. Bob started by reminiscing with Big about their days at Nutmeg Memorial High School. Neither was much of an athlete, but they became fast friends as members of the Computer Nerds Club. Bob gently approached the possibility of a donation. “Who knew where your interest in computers would take you? You have done very well for yourself. How well have you done, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“I am very fortunate,” Big told Bob. “I was at the right place at the right time, and I will never have to worry about money again.”
Bob did not let Big’s vague response deter him. “I should have stuck with computers myself,” Bob responded. “At least I have had the pleasure of serving our community as a member of the Nutmeg Board of Education. But there is just one problem -- the needs of our school district are far greater than the community is willing to fund.”
Big took the bait. “Do you think that I could help? My son is just entering the middle school, and I want him and his classmates to have a good experience.”
Bob was quick to respond. “The middle school years are critically important. Middle school is a great time for students to explore different paths without getting grades that will be included on the transcripts that they will be submitting to college. We have been trying to provide a state-of-the art computer to each of our middle school students, but each year we end up having to cut the money for these new computers from our budget request.”
Big perked up. “Maybe I can help! I would be happy to donate the amount that the Nutmeg Public Schools needs to buy premium computers for all students attending Median Middle School. Will $100,000 do it? I have just two conditions for making this donation,”
“Whatever you want!” Bob shot back. “We can make this happen.”
“Great!” responded Big. “I will write the check right now if you can assure me that (1) my donation will be tax deductible, and (2) my identity will be confidential. As you can imagine, people are hitting me up all the time looking for money for this or that. I don’t want anyone to know that I have paid for these new computers.”
“Consider it done!” Bob assured Big. Big then promptly wrote out the check and handed it over to Bob after signing it with a flourish.
Bob promptly dropped the check off at the Board Offices, and Bob made the big announcement at the next meeting of the Nutmeg Board of Education. “An anonymous donor has made a substantial donation to the Nutmeg Public Schools, and I am pleased to announce that all middle school students will be getting fancy new computers next year.”
Local reporter Nancy Newshound was intrigued by Bob’s announcement. The next day, Nancy sent Mr. Superintendent an email with a FOIA request for “any and all records revealing the identity of the anonymous donor mentioned at the Board meeting last night.”
