For Whom The School Bell Tolls
Perhaps no other newspaper beat has as much diversity, excitement and importance as education.
From wide-eyed kindergarteners on their first school day to retirees and their property taxes, education isn't just about blackboards and school boards. School districts typically have a community's highest tax rate. They often are a town's largest employer. State and national issues play heavily into day-to-day school operations. Teachers. Parents. Children. Bus drivers. Administrators. Academics. Athletics. And on and on.
Even if you live in an apartment and have no children, a school district's tax rate affects your rent. And if a school district is bad, it can affect a community's reputation. Business retention and recruiting suffers. People don't want to live there.
Get the picture?
So when it comes to something such as the current superintendent crisis in the troubled Port Arthur Independent School District, there is much at stake in its outcome.
The controversy is rather bizarre, starting with a simple PAISD school board agenda faxed Monday to The Enterprise. The agenda contained two eyebrow-raising items: consideration of Superintendent Willis Mackey's resignation and the appointment of a temporary replacement.
Mackey had a tough mission when he took the top PAISD post in 2003, from smoothing the edges off consolidating the three high schools into one to getting voter approval of a $10 million bond issue.
Since then, controversy has erupted over the proposed site of a new high school building. The board remains as dysfunctional as ever. The state sent in a monitor and then replaced it with a more powerful conservator last year after friction persisted between Mackey and the board. It recently was underscored when Mackey and trustees grew at odds over the superintendent's personnel decisions.
It is the classic board vs. superintendent battle that has taken place in countless Texas school districts year after year, decade after decade, since the public education system was created.
Now, PAISD is in danger of a full-blown state takeover - a rare thing in the state - and Mackey's future with the district has grown cloudy. The Enterprise for two days has tried to pin him down, but he hasn't made himself available at work or home and will not return repeated telephone calls. Rumors are flying like Hurricane Rita debris.
A group of community representatives, including church leaders, has expressed support for Mackey. Others have said it is time for Mackey's departure.
The situation is unlikely to clear up until Thursday, when the PAISD board will take action on the two aforementioned agenda items.
No matter what happens, the issue marks yet another negative feather in that embattled school district's hat of non-progress. Ultimately, the entire community, particularly its most precious resource - the children - suffer.
From wide-eyed kindergarteners on their first school day to retirees and their property taxes, education isn't just about blackboards and school boards. School districts typically have a community's highest tax rate. They often are a town's largest employer. State and national issues play heavily into day-to-day school operations. Teachers. Parents. Children. Bus drivers. Administrators. Academics. Athletics. And on and on.
Even if you live in an apartment and have no children, a school district's tax rate affects your rent. And if a school district is bad, it can affect a community's reputation. Business retention and recruiting suffers. People don't want to live there.
Get the picture?
So when it comes to something such as the current superintendent crisis in the troubled Port Arthur Independent School District, there is much at stake in its outcome.
The controversy is rather bizarre, starting with a simple PAISD school board agenda faxed Monday to The Enterprise. The agenda contained two eyebrow-raising items: consideration of Superintendent Willis Mackey's resignation and the appointment of a temporary replacement.
Mackey had a tough mission when he took the top PAISD post in 2003, from smoothing the edges off consolidating the three high schools into one to getting voter approval of a $10 million bond issue.
Since then, controversy has erupted over the proposed site of a new high school building. The board remains as dysfunctional as ever. The state sent in a monitor and then replaced it with a more powerful conservator last year after friction persisted between Mackey and the board. It recently was underscored when Mackey and trustees grew at odds over the superintendent's personnel decisions.
It is the classic board vs. superintendent battle that has taken place in countless Texas school districts year after year, decade after decade, since the public education system was created.
Now, PAISD is in danger of a full-blown state takeover - a rare thing in the state - and Mackey's future with the district has grown cloudy. The Enterprise for two days has tried to pin him down, but he hasn't made himself available at work or home and will not return repeated telephone calls. Rumors are flying like Hurricane Rita debris.
A group of community representatives, including church leaders, has expressed support for Mackey. Others have said it is time for Mackey's departure.
The situation is unlikely to clear up until Thursday, when the PAISD board will take action on the two aforementioned agenda items.
No matter what happens, the issue marks yet another negative feather in that embattled school district's hat of non-progress. Ultimately, the entire community, particularly its most precious resource - the children - suffer.
posted by Brian Pearson at 3:06 PM
1 Comments:
In a sense you can't blame him for not returning phone calls or making himself available. Even though he is what he is.. He is still human and still has atleast some life outside the school and I'm sure he wishes for some of that to remain personal and right now I imagine the man is dealing with a good many personal demons in dealing with this.
But you are right. The children are hte ones who suffer. It seems that school district has had nothing but trouble in the last few years..
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