As a candidate for Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee, I support discipline -- for school officials.

Undisciplined officials built a million dollar AstroTurf football field that students must pay to use. Taxpayers subsidize rich families that pay an "activity fee" that does not cover half the cost of sport and music activities, while middle-class kids who can't afford the fee are excluded.

The committee winks at an AP class that fails, year after year, to teach most students to pass the exam. Students are so entertained by electives that few take serious classes like civics, calculus and music theory. We subsidize 57 non-resident, school choice students, reimbursed with only half our cost per pupil.

The committee discourages competitive bidding on contracts, raising costs for taxpayers. Voters who object to unessential spending cannot vote “Nay,” because all spending is bundled into one omnibus budget. Every year, line items go over budget, and every year, the School Committee demands extra funding at special town meetings.

Elect me, and we'll offer every student sports and music budgeted within the taxpayers' means. We'll eliminate trivial electives and focus students on serious classes that prepare for informed citizenship and productive careers. We'll cut ineffective AP classes and support effective ones. We'll withdraw from school choice and reduce our need for staff … and we won’t wait 20 years to realize payroll savings.

We'll welcome competitive bids for contracts. We'll petition the Legislature to force regional schools to present sub-budgets for legal mandates, transportation, and discretionary spending, so that voters can control their elected officials. We’ll discipline ourselves to live within the budgets appropriated at annual town meetings, cutting costs when a line item goes over budget.

Elect me to Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee, and I'll discipline the high school -- starting with the adults.

Lloyd Mendes

Somerset