A Civics Lesson for D.C. Students to Skip

Bobb called on his Louisiana homey, Sen. Mary Landrieu, telling her about his problems with Fenty's school system grab. Landrieu, responsive to one of her own, placed a "hold" on the school takeover bill, stopping Senate consideration of the legislation in its tracks.

That is, until a steamed Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) entered the picture. Landrieu quickly released her legislative hold and, in the process, fingered Robert "Back Door" Bobb as the reason she trampled all over home rule. Which didn't give the slow-moving Bobb much time to cover his tracks. The brother got caught.

Which gets us to the fourth lesson I wish our children didn't have to learn: America wants to spread democracy around the world, but the District is treated like a duchy.

Even though the D.C. Council approved the school takeover, the bill still had to be blessed by Congress. Fortunately, the Senate, after Norton's "come to Jesus" conversation with Landrieu, passed Fenty's plan.

Which marches us up to Lesson No. 5: In the nation's capital, power tops everything.

Poor Robert Bobb. Winning the school board race made him start to believe his own press. He really fancied himself a major player in the city. But he forgot (or never learned) the golden rule of Washington: The person with the gold rules.

Bobb's major daytime employer, a deep-pocketed San Franciscan named Victor McFarlane, has keen interest in doing business with the D.C. government, a.k.a., the Fenty administration. Bobb's Capitol Hill maneuver didn't sit well with Fenty, who isn't to be trifled with. McFarlane, who has plenty of gold and would like more, concluded that Bobb was standing in the way of that objective and thus ruled him gone -- off the payroll, out the door, bye-bye.

Bobb apparently never heard that when you strike at the king, you have to kill him. Anything less will get you killed.

In the midst of all this, here's hoping our 55,000 students are being taught the correct lessons at home and in school. To wit:

What you know is far more important than whom you know. The former you keep forever; the latter come and go with the wind.

The ends don't justify the means. Winning by breaking the rules tarnishes the victory and makes you a loser.

Build, don't tear down, your community and city, and always aim high.

Power is illusory, fleeting and never really enough.

And, finally, as a basis for enduring personal relationships, there is no substitute for integrity, respect and the capacity to forgive.

kingc@washpost.com