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To the Editor:

I totally agree with Roger Watson’s editorial about the school board holding all the cards in the school board and superintendent mess

They are the only ones with the power to do anything about our disgraceful ranking and the lack of accreditation of any of our schools with the State of Virginia.  They are getting off to a shaky start by not making any changes and entrusting the superintendent, who led them to these new historic lows, to suddenly turn into a swan and lead us to new historic highs.

I have been getting a large number of emails and phone calls from people (only one negative) including teachers, who say the present problems include: 48% of children do not read at third-grade level in the third grade; too many students do not get STEM school exposure at the higher grades; discipline is not enforced and teachers are not getting backed up by administrators and fear retaliation if they speak their mind. Teachers are leaving, more for lack of support, than salaries.

These teachers are starting to meet in groups to discuss school problems including the lack of time that the superintendent spends in Prince Edward County on the job instead of being in the Baltimore area, and the fact that the superintendent is managing the board instead of the other way around.

One person suggested a Roto-Rooter approach that would clean out the whole system from top to bottom, and start from scratch to build quality schools like we once had.  Sounds good to me.

The one thing I’m not hearing are creative ideas from the superintendent on how to change any of these problems.  If something does not work, you need to do something different, not more of the same.

Yes, Roger Watson is right again about the school board bringing a solid plan of school improvement to the Board of Supervisors.

At this point where the school board holds all the cards, they will be the ones who continue to get the blame, or if a miraculous turnaround occurs, the credit.

 

Jim Wilck

County Supervisor

Farmville District