Costly battle

It has been several years since more than half of Missouri's public school districts filed a lawsuit claiming the state wasn't providing the level of funding for education mandated by the Missouri Constitution. The suit was filed during a squeeze on revenue that affected funding for just about every facet of state government. Since then, revenue growth and cutbacks in other areas have permitted the legislature to authorize significant increases in school funding.

The judge in the case has rejected most of the districts' claims, but the lawsuit continues. Many districts, including the Cape Girardeau School District, withdrew once steps were taken to ensure additional funding.

The cost of the lawsuit has reached $5.3 million: $3.2 million spent by schools districts, $1.4 million spent by the state and $700,000 spent by three taxpayers who intervened.

Of the total spent on the lawsuit, $4.6 million -- paid by the state and by the school districts -- came out of the pockets of taxpayers. This is ridiculous.

While school districts participating in the lawsuit say the legal expenses are a tiny portion of their operating costs, it's still $4.6 million that could have been spent on textbooks, teachers and equipment. It's $4.6 million that taxpayers should have been able to keep for themselves.