Jessie Register speaks the truth and the mic was on

A YouTube video has been posted of Director of Schools Jesse Register speaking bluntly when he thought he was off the air but he was actually on the air. He says that what is happening at Metro schools is a cultural change and that employees are moving away from a situation where they have a sense of entitlement.



What is the big deal? This is no scandal.

 It is interesting anytime someone is caught speaking bluntly when they thought the mic was off. However, what Register said is simply an observation that is most assuredly true. Many people who work for government do think they have an entitlement of a job for life and should be exempt from lay offs. They also think they are entitled to raise year after year. And, they think they are entitled to more days off and more benefits than comparable jobs in the private sector.

If the school system can save money by contracting for a service rather than providing it in-house, they should contract for that service. If innovation and cost savings lead to a reduction in the work force then the work force should be reduced. Government administrators should be good managers and good stewards of the public's money. Keeping government employees employed is not the function of a good administrator.

The video is edited to be critical of Register and points out that some Metro School employees only earn a modest income. I think we already knew that was so, so what is the point? There are a lot of jobs that do not pay a lot money.  Government employees should be paid competitive wages with the private sector and I don't think one can argue that the wages paid by metro are not competitive. Government employees should not earn more than a person working in the private sector would be paid for the same job. And, they should not have more benefits or job security than a person in the private sector doing the same job.

The only criticism I have of Register as a result of this incident is that he was hesitant to say publicly what he thought he was saying privately. He spoke the truth.

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