While well-intentioned, Michael Soltman, like so many other bureaucrats and politicians, mishandled the rescheduling of the homecoming dance so it would not conflict with Yom Kippur.

If the dance was to be moved, the announcement should have read like this: “Dear high school students, the VISD and I made a mistake in scheduling the homecoming dance. Since it was our mistake, my staff and I will spend all our after-hours time during the next week fixing this situation so your dance will be perfect, at no inconvenience to you. Of course, there also should be no added expense either. Please advise me of any expenses you have incurred as a result of my action. My staff and I will stand outside Thriftway until we have collected enough donations to reimburse you for the added cost.”

Unfortunately, too many people do the “right” thing and dump the consequences on someone else. Mr. Soltman and the VISD have to deal with inadequate funding which is exacerbated by unfunded mandates compliments of our friends in D.C. and Olympia. Our national budget is out of control at least partially because we continue to act as policeman for the world and send billions in foreign aid to almost every country from China to Pakistan. The airport TSA employees must waste resources screening 80-year-old grandmothers and 6-year-old grade schoolers, so as to not “offend” the 18- to 45-year-old males who pose the greatest risk.

Even something as simple as creating jobs makes for new challenges. The latest jobs bill proposed by President Obama seeks money to hire teachers and reduce class size. Good idea? No, since the proposal only funds these jobs for one year! Then all the school districts will have to lay off the new teachers.

Our leaders, and I use that term loosely, need to think before they do the “right” thing in the future.

— Scott Harvey