Editor, The Herald:

This year the Prince Edward County School Board has two appointed positions up for either appointment or reappointment: the Leigh and the Buffalo Districts. As I understand it, there have not been many applicants (if any at all) in the past few terms for the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors to review. This year however is different. There were two applicants for the Leigh District and four total applicants for the Buffalo District. Of the six total applicants two from each district were recommended to the board for discussion and appointment. I reside in the Buffalo District and would like to focus on the candidates that were recommended from that area. The current chairman of the school board and Mr. Melvin Randy Reynolds.

I was at the board meeting last month to hear and to voice my own opinion of the condition in which our school system has become. While listening to all the good people talk about what fine citizens we currently have serving as school board members, I realized quickly that no one has yet mentioned the shape of the school system, how it continues to spiral downward, or what needs to be done to correct the situation. It was no surprise that the ones currently serving barely mentioned the school or its problems. We did learn about what wholesome churchgoing, community oriented folks they are. I was so impressed after the meeting, I wanted to take the current school board members out to dinner! Unfortunately, time did not allow.

But business is business. And, unfortunately, the business of education is bad for P.E.C.P.S. and has been for some time. I am a 1996 graduate from Prince Edward and it saddens me to see, hear, and read about how we rank close to the bottom among Virginia's public school sytems.

I have a two year old little girl now. My wife and I have a very important decision to make regarding her education in a few years. Things need to change, and it needs to start right now! Melvin (Randy) Reynolds has a son in Prince Edward County High School. He knows the problems with the school and, more importantly, he knows how to fix them. And yes, he is a fine upstanding member of the community. He is the best candidate for the Buffalo District. It is not the time to talk about how good a man is. It is time to talk about who is best suited for the job. I am sure that the folks currently serving have done the best that they can, but enough is enough. This year the board has a choice. Instead of just saying “well nobody else will serve, let's just keep the same ones in there.” Call your supervisor. Tell him or her how you feel about this matter. Our administration, our teachers, and most importantly, our children need your support and direction. I believe it was Albert Einstein that once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”

Brock Robinson

Buffalo District

Prince Edward County