East St. Louis School Board members often put their wants above students' and taxpayers' needs, and it is still happening even though the board has been disbanded.

Five of the seven board members sued the state on Friday, the day after the state removed them from their unpaid positions. Carl Officer and Irma Golliday are not involved.

This is all about the board members' own good, not the district's. One of the arguments in the lawsuit: that as elected officials they have a property right in that office.

What about the right of students to get a good education and of taxpayers to have their money spent responsibly? Only about 65 percent of students graduate high school in the district; only 11 percent of high school students who took state tests met or exceeded state standards.

The board has run up a huge deficit using the district to get jobs and contracts for family and friends. Now it will run up legal bills fighting a necessary change.

The only thing more embarrassing than board members grasping to try to hold onto their power are the woeful test scores of the children.