The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
A stranger's viewpoint: As we all know, first impressions are very important. I have had two opportunities since January of 2004 to stop in your little town. The first time was in late January, and the second time was in the last few weeks. I stopped at a local restaurant to eat both times. I became saddened by what I heard each time. Let me tell you what I heard.
On both occasions, I heard the locals talking about cuts being made at the local school. Of course, having been in the education field as a teacher, principal, and superintendent for over 40 years in the state of Washington, I was interested in what was being said. Unfortunately, what I was hearing was not kind.
It is truly a sad time in our world when people relish destroying other people. Several gentlemen were discussing one particular teacher who lost his/her job.
The gist of the conversation was that a school board member wanted this teacher cut because of some confrontations with their child.
The school board has even gone so far as to eliminate half of a split position in order to keep this teacher from being called back.
People, school boards are not the place to be carrying out personal vendettas or agendas! School board members should be people who make sound decisions for educating young people.
Educational decisions need to be made by people who are qualified and know something about education.
People should not be elected to a school board, or have a job in education, because they are related to every other person in the town (one conversation I overheard was how the board made cuts; then surprisingly everyone, who happened to be related to a board member, was rehired. Nepotism-at its best!).
This school board member sounds like a mean and vindictive person who has managed to bully and bulldoze a board into cutting a teacher for personal reasons.
My question to you is, "Have you heard both sides of the story?" The truth usually lies between two stories and not entirely on one side. I have yet to meet anyone who is perfect and mistakes are made by everyone.
Another topic I heard being discussed was about a teacher who hit a student, yet still has a job? Is this true? Hitting a child is against most school policies.
Why does this teacher still have a job? Who is accountable for this? I surmise that this teacher hasn't had a run-in with the school board member mentioned above. Do you people realize this is a law-suit waiting to happen? Who do you blame then? Did the teacher, who lost their job, do something this bad?
I feel sorry for the teacher who has been targeted because he/she probably was doing a great job teaching.
It has been my experience that good teachers make enemies because they stick to their beliefs and do not play favorites.
I would like to have a cup of coffee with this teacher. You know what I would tell that person? I would tell them that there are evil people
(Yes, Dorothy, even in small towns), whose desire is to destroy, because they are jealous, angry, or just plain mean spirited.
I would also tell them they, and their children, are better off out of a district that allows personal agendas and vendettas to control education decisions.
Doesn't anyone have any backbone to stand up to this person?
Where is the Superintendent in this school? I did not hear anything about this person. Evil like this will only tear your school apart and destroy your community.
How many other vendettas does this person wish to carry out? I wonder who will be the next target. I pray it is not a child.
I have seen a lot of houses for sale in this town.
Do you ever wonder why everyone is leaving? Strong school systems are what draw young people, with children, to small towns.
Leadership that is based upon personal grievances has no place in public education. I know that I may not have all the facts, but I don't need to know all of them to know this type of action is wrong.
I pray, that the next time I have the opportunity to stop in your town that I hear good things instead of the mean things I have heard to date.
R.K. Benton
Seattle, Washington