Dear Editor,
After Wednesday nights school board meeting I left disappointed and upset that our school board refuses to listen to the people with the exception of Mr. Benton. Let me take everyone back to March 1, 2006. Mr. Benton wrote a letter to the editor about how he was unhappy with the idea of expanding the search for the superintendents job. (His letter is in the comments section.) Which in turn I wrote letter on how I was concerned about the lack of communications I had with Mr. Benton. This letter in turn sparked a civil war in Camden County. I was attacked in a political ad by the supporters of Mr. Benton. Before all this happened, I really did not know Mr. Benton, but after last night I have to greatest respect and I hope that Mr. Benton and his family will accept my public apology for my comments "that he did not care." The issue turned out to be nothing more than bad communications. Mr. Benton took the time to sit down, after hours,and discuss the issues I had with the school system. If you remember the board voted with only districts 2,3, and 4 voting, and I wondered what happened to district 5. We all know district 1 was unrepresented, (as we hope Mr. Chance is doing well) but no district 5. Why? Well, Mr. Benton went on the record last night and told us why he did not vote. He said, and this is not a quote because I can't recall his exact words, that he did not vote because he felt that it was not the right time and it was not what the people wanted. Thank you Mr. Benton. Even though you disagreed with the people wanting to expand the search, you still stood up for the people. You sir have restored my faith in democracy and the principals in which this great country was built on. You are not just a great school board member you are a GREAT AMERICAN. You are this school systems greatest asset.
Maybe the school board as a whole failed the parents, but if you are a parent and you disagree with the boards decision and you did not show up for the meeting last night, than it is YOU that has failed your child. Parents please checkout my blog http://www.schoolpolice.blogspot.com/ and please add your comments, they are important. If you won't communicate with your board member I will. I believe the board is willing to work with us, but I don't think we as parents are getting our message to them. My school board member listened to me and I am sure if you talk to yours they will listen. I do thank the board for allowing us plenty of time to discuss this issue at the meeting.
And to the new district one member Mr. Simpson, I don't know much about you, but WELCOME TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
"The people of this County do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created." ***The views expressed on this blog are the opinions of the individual that wrote them.
1 comment:
Dear Editor, These past few weeks have been stressful for the public as well as the (Camden County) Board of Education. I feel the need to say to my constituents that I have served on the board for 17 years and I have thoroughly enjoyed my service to our school system and to our community.
Admittedly, I am quite proud of the progress that has been made in our schools during that time. I truly believe that Camden County Schools are second to none and the envy of all our surrounding neighbors.
With these thoughts in mind, I want to say publicly that we have the professional leadership within our schools to lead us in the future. My position is that we ought to select from within and continue the tradition of excellence that has already been established. We have many fine candidates within that are capable of leading our schools. I want everyone to know that my search will begin from within.
Should the board as a whole decide to pursue candidates from outside the school system, I believe it will send the message to our employees that "you haven't done a good job and someone can do it better." I would remind the board and the public that many school systems in Georgia and across the nation are buying out superintendent contracts where those superintendents were hired as the result of nationwide searches. These so-called hired guns from somewhere else seldom understand the mores and ways of the communities that hire them. Often, the impact of their leadership to the systems who hire them is disastrous.
Furthermore, if the board as a whole decides to go outside, I am concerned about initiating a selection process without the input of board members who may come into office in January 2007. The selection process ought to have their input since they will be responsible for working with the new superintendent. Therefore, if the board decides to go outside for the selection process, I don't think anything should be done before January 2007 when all the newly-elected board members may take ownership of the selection process. This would be fair to the new board members and to the people they represent.
Doug Benton
Camden County Board of Education
Camden County Tribune
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