At Thursday's meeting of the Shelby County Commission, Steve Mulroy made a point that nobody had yet brought up but which now is quickly becoming conventional wisdom for those advocating the Memphis side of the schools consolidation debate. Mulroy wondered whether, if U.S. Dist. Court Judge Samuel 'Hardy' Mays is wanting to reconstitute the currently all-suburban Shelby County Board of Education, the current members should be allowed to make appointments to the Norris-Todd transition commission.
"It's unconstitutionally formed so I don't think they should be making appointments to the Norris-Todd planning commission until they are constitutionally formed," Mulroy said.
That would change the balance of power considerably on Norris-Todd. Many Memphians have been complaining since it was first introduced that Norris-Todd's appointed commission would over-represent suburban interests and harm Memphians. In terms of the 21 members, MCS, SCS and county mayor Mark Luttrell get five appointments each, and then one each from Gov. Bill Haslam, state House speaker Beth Harwell and state Senate speaker Ron Ramsey. Nonvoting members are Luttrell, and the president or chairmen of MCS and the county school board.
MCS board president Martavius Jones has complained the Memphis may get only six appointees, though it should be noted Luttrell lives inside the city limits and being an elected official, surely will realize that voters might well remember if he doesn't give Memphis some representation among his choices. However, if the judge agrees with Mulroy's position and wants a reconstituted, Memphis majority countywide school board to make the Norris-Todd choices, Memphis might indeed hold the majority on the transition commission.
"It's unconstitutionally formed so I don't think they should be making appointments to the Norris-Todd planning commission until they are constitutionally formed," Mulroy said.
That would change the balance of power considerably on Norris-Todd. Many Memphians have been complaining since it was first introduced that Norris-Todd's appointed commission would over-represent suburban interests and harm Memphians. In terms of the 21 members, MCS, SCS and county mayor Mark Luttrell get five appointments each, and then one each from Gov. Bill Haslam, state House speaker Beth Harwell and state Senate speaker Ron Ramsey. Nonvoting members are Luttrell, and the president or chairmen of MCS and the county school board.
MCS board president Martavius Jones has complained the Memphis may get only six appointees, though it should be noted Luttrell lives inside the city limits and being an elected official, surely will realize that voters might well remember if he doesn't give Memphis some representation among his choices. However, if the judge agrees with Mulroy's position and wants a reconstituted, Memphis majority countywide school board to make the Norris-Todd choices, Memphis might indeed hold the majority on the transition commission.
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