Ask and you will receive ... but don't and you won't

“I’m really disappointed that Mr. Hardy feels we have to kiss his ring.”

That’s what Lafayette Parish School Board member Mike Hefner reportedly said after learning that state Rep. Rickey Hardy who represents the Lafayette area, held up approval of a $746,000 grant for the parish school system, because he said no one from the school system contacted him, “… so it seems like they didn’t want the money.”

A representative for the school system said they followed the exact same process they’ve followed for more than 10 years. The school system writes up a grant request, submits it to the Louisiana Department of Education and then, in what is described as typically a “procedural” vote by the House-Senate Education Committee, those systems whose applications meet the requirements typically receive the funding.

But Rep. Hardy says there’s an additional requirement — contacting the lawmaker to let him know the school system wants the money.

“It’s not a political game,” Hardy was quoted as saying. “They did not call me. They weren’t concerned enough to call me.”

At the committee meeting, Hardy reportedly made a motion to approve funding for the grants to all school systems that had requested them, except the Lafayette system.

We can assume all those other school systems really wanted the money, so Hardy didn’t have a problem with their applications.

Hardy has criticized Lafayette school officials for their “arrogance” and failure to follow “protocol.”

My first impression, like Hefner’s, was that Hardy wanted them to come and kiss his ring, to bow down before him and show appreciation for his being the system’s benefactor — with someone else’s money.

The state Department of Education has already approved Lafayette’s proposal for spending this money to fund an existing program to combat school dropouts.

I guess Mr. Hardy thinks someone at the school system was joking around when he submitted a request for funding to continue the program to combat school dropouts. How would Hardy know this request was a serious one, unless someone called him directly to ask for his support and approval, and make sure he understood they really, really wanted the money?

Hardy sat on the Lafayette School Board for 13 years and has said publicly he “… had to constantly battle the arrogance, as well as the deference to special groups and individuals.”

The funding has still not been approved. Hardy says he might put it back on the list or might shift it elsewhere.

Looks like the battle against arrogance continues — for that board.

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It’s a tough day for those who suffer from triskaidekaphobia, a fear of the number 13, or who are superstitious. They probably know by now that today is Friday the 13th.

I read that those who have a specific fear of Friday the 13th, the day, not the number, are said to suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia or friggatriskaidekaphobia.

Besides problems from whatever symptoms these phobias might cause, think about how tough it’s been to fill out a form and report just what it is from which you suffer?

WILL CHAPMAN is publisher of The Daily Iberian.