The Highlands School District administration continues stonewalling residents with recent comment policy change, and only relented to newspaper inquiries when faced with legal sanctions for violation of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act (“Highlands comment policy causes confusion, raises concerns,” May 23, TribLIVE).
Homeowners may exercise civil disobedience by withholding school tax payments to protest lack of transparency.
Tarentum retiree Joe Pavlik proposed placing tax funds in escrow to be released quarterly contingent upon satisfactory school administration performance.
Residents can affect the following outcomes, effectively relieving the administration and school board of authority:
• Create a budget crisis, mandating Pennsylvania Department of Education intervention.
• Force Pennsylvania auditor general oversight of district operations.
Our initial request is rescinding the “comment policy” and discussing meeting agendas per line item, allowing time for attendee feedback. We also request mandatory school board meeting attendance by a minimum of five members, with no single member absence permitted for two consecutive meetings.
Our administrators would be wise to solicit advice from Pavlik and other residents with budgeting and fiscal experience. They welcome the opportunity to contribute.
David Poskin
Harrison