[School Board] WAPS

[Larry Laber]

Last Saturday morning, the School Board held a working session with administration working specifically with our over capacity and shortage of funds.  Toward the end of the session, Sharon Ropes spoke frankly about an orchestrated effort by certain members in the community to defeat the public school system and what it stands for.  At the time I was silent only because she said what I and others have been thinking for some time.  We continue to be perform reactively to articles that aremisquoted, misstated or use a play on words to show the public schools in a negative image.  I, for one have had about enough of this garbage.  I truly believe that our teachers, our principles, our entire administrative team act in what they believe is best for education.  I am tired of each of us being used as a punching bag for someone else's enjoyment.  I am more than prepared to address each and every slander thrown our way but will not be very effective if everyone who shares these same thoughts just sits on their hands.  We have a very vocal minority chasing our leadership in circles with their information demands and legal actions with their only goal in mind to discredit all that these people do and what they stand for.  It has been my pleasure to work side by side with teachers and administration this past three years and when I see them accused of such a sundry of improprieties I have to question what the motive is behind it.  Do these actions improve our educational system?  I highly doubt it.  Have they caught anyone, anyone at all, doing any more than what that person thought was right?  No one.  Yet this diatribe continues.  As long as we continue to give this small faction our ear we will serve no good to our public schools.  Yes, we need to be open to constructive criticism.  We need to look at new, innovative ways of reaching kids who really do view the world a whole lot different that those of my generation did.  We can't do that if precious resources and time are spent addressing the negativism that comes from these people.  I believe that Dr. Bartleson and his staff are as good an administrative team as this school district has seen.  We can't realize their potential though unless we take an open, positive position in their support.  This is not meant for board members only.  This is spoken to the school community at large.  The School Board understands too well the public lashing district employees have had to stand up to.    We have good schools, good support staff, good teachers, good administrators.  They can be better if we let them do their jobs.  This will only happen when these attacks against the public school system are stopped.  Constructive criticism is a powerful animal.  Negative criticism only serves the people dishing it out.  Enough I say.   Larry Laber