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I wish for the same, Steve.

I would like to see a superintendent who is not intent on resume building...

Weast: I will get rid of 10% of the teachers because 10% are bad...he got rid of that many, but most who left were not bad teachers, just human. Most of the "bad" teachers were not touched.

Grier: I will lower the drop out rate...Keep them in school at all costs, no matter their behavior or success in school...sacrifice the education of many for keeping the few in school.

I agree with the spirit of Mr. Flynn's letter, but I must respectfully disagree with how he's presented his argument.

"Enough of the love-in with business. Enough with patronizing community and parents."

Frankly, I do not feel that running a school system like a business should be a problem. The problem with the superintendents we've had is that they manage by exception (MBE). I agree that a superintendent should be a leader and an educator. However, something that must be considered is management style. Good managers are not necessarily leaders, and good leaders are not necessarily good managers. Most people generally prefer someone who can take the middle ground.

"More of building connection with community and parents."

This is what business-folk would call marketing. Essentially the product being marketed is education. While some superintendents like to manipulate certain metrics to show how much they've accomplished, people need to consider that any kind of number can be manipulated. It should not be about numbers, but just how much of a difference education makes in a child's life. Sure, Billy and Suzie can pass an EOG test. Can he or she actually apply what they've learned? When superintendents MBE they fall back on numbers like test scores, rather than get involved. There's simply no substitute for spending time with children to help reinforce what they've learned. Good managers facilitate this type of growth and accept MBE as the wrong way to do things.

BTW Carol, I couldn't agree more with your statements about Weast and Grier.

ah, what a calm evening...

Carol,
I am reminded of the wise and wonderful Anita Sharpe saying, when Grier was being attacked, "Better the devil you know than the one you don't know". Those are true words and they will once again ring true when they trot out the next super. We all knew what to expect and therefore we learned how to respond. And let's face it, some out here would blame Grier for male pattern baldness, excema and ricketts if given half the chance. They would have the next Superintendent be lethargic, old, and with transient dementia. We have some good things going, and we should continue to plow new ground. If folks want mediocrity in education, they can always move to Randolph or Rockingham County. We must not turn the clock back, but rather we must build upon the good things.

TLC, you are either a board member, married to one, or a GCS employee (in the county office, not in the schools I would venture). I personally would prefer to not have a devil, known or unknown, head our schools. And must you always slam anyone who does not live in Greensboro?????