What Were They Thinking?

In the 19 June 2013 issue of the Courier-Record, it was reported that on 17 June, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that 24 cities and counties in Virginia would be able to provide school resource officers due to a grant from the Criminal Justice Board. Funding for the grant originated in a $1.3 million appropriation requested by McDonnell and approved by the General Assembly. That $1.3 million will fund salary and benefits for 41 resource officers at elementary, middle, and high schools across Virginia. The localities receiving funds, including Amelia County, are required to match the state's funding, with the amount to be based on the Department of Education's Composite Index of Local Ability to Pay. In total, 37 localities sought a combined $2.6 million in funding. Nottoway County Public Schools did not submit a request.

The decision against seeking funding for a school resource officer raises a number of important questions.

Why was the decision made by Dr. Daniel Grounard and the Nottoway County School Board against seeking state funding for a school resource officer?

What was included in the decision making process? Did either Dr. Grounard or the School Board seek input from administrators, faculty, and staff at each of the county’s schools? If input was sought, to what extent was it taken into consideration during the decision making process? If input was not sought, another valid concern is raised. Considering how infrequently the Superintendent and members of the School Board visit each of the county’s schools; why would the people who are in the schools every day not be asked for their opinions regarding the funding of a resource officer? Did either Dr. Grounard or the School Board seek input from parents? If input was sought, to what extent was it taken into consideration during the decision making process? If that was not the case, why were parents left out of the decision making process?

Who made the final decision against seeking state funding for a school resource officer? Was the final decision a collaborate effort between Dr. Grounard and the School Board? If that was not the case, why was the School Board whose members are elected by the citizens of Nottoway County to represent them, either overruled or ignored?

What were the major issues that factored into the decision against seeking state funding for a school resource officer? Does the budget for Nottoway County Public Schools not have enough funds to match the state’s funding, despite the fact that the amount would be based on the Department of Education's Composite Index of Local Ability to Pay? If that was the case, was the Nottoway County Board of Supervisors unwilling to appropriate funding to the School Board for the purposes of a school resource officer? If so, what was the reasoning behind that decision? If not, why did Dr. Grounard and the School Board not accept the funds? Do Dr. Grounard and the School Board believe that applying for and receiving state funding for a resource officer would give the impression that they have been overseeing an unsafe school system? Considering Dr. Grounard’s history of being on record as a frequent critic of Governor Bob McDonnell; although highly unlikely, is it a possibility that he did not want to accept funding from the Governor for political reasons?