Times are tough. Almost everyone is feeling more than just a pinch from this recession. These tough times mean the Topeka Public Schools must cut between eight and 12 million dollars from it next year budget. While everyone is going through budget cutting, I think there is a great lesson to be learned from how Superintendent Kevin Singer and the TPS Board have approached this process.

Instead of a small group of administrators huddling behind closed doors, Singer reached out to teachers, students, staff and parents, preachers, and the general public to help make the decision. This public task force heard every part of TPS outline what they do, what results they get, and what it costs to get those results. I was privileged to be a member of this task force.

And after each member heard all the presentations, they went online to rank the priorities of cuts so that they would have the least overall impact on the education of students in the district. The report presented Thursday night outlines those cuts.

Singer and the board, by trusting those teachers, students, staff, parents, preachers and the general public, got a better reading on how best to cut the budget than some of the sideshows we’ve seen in the wee hours of the morning by some of our other governmental bodies.

Think about it, TPS and the Superintendent actually trusted their constituents to help them do the right thing. We need that kind of trust in other levels of government as well.

I want to know what you think. You can write me at Kansas Voices section of wibw.com to leave me your thoughts.