Slumlords or educators

Riding around Columbus you wonder if the Muscogee County School District isn't one of the city's major slumlords.

Start with Sears.

Next door to the sparkling new Columbus Public Library, the old department store looks like it needs to be buried as badly as Anna Nicole Smith. School officials still plan to build a new administration building in this building where people once shopped for electric drills and boxer shorts.

Yeah, when?

Now there is word that the school board is investigating how much it will cost to demolish the former retail store.

Yeah, when?

Then's there Baker.

Instead of students, critters now walk the halls of this proud old high school. Some have four legs. Some have two. The school system says it uses the site for storage. Storage of what? Nothing they'll ever need or use, I hope. After all this time, the school board, saying it is too costly to save or demolish, has decided to sell the property.

Yeah, when?

Check out Claflin.

The school system doesn't plan to mend its broken window panes or to apply makeup to its wrinkled walls. So taxpayers must drive by and marvel at the old school's "beauty" while we take bets on when the roof will meet the floors. Tear it down? Sell it?

Yeah, when?

Maybe the City of Columbus ought to check out these building. Send in a crew of inspectors. See what shape Sears, Baker and Claflin are in. Give us a report. The next step would be Columbus Council. Every Tuesday the panel orders local landlords to fix up their buildings before the government steps in and does something about them. Why not the school system?

Yeah, when?