School Board Issues
3-1-09
To the people of Benton Community: What should be the “big picture” for Benton Community? Do we let the school administration and staff focus on educating the students and evaluating the building needs of the district, or do we want them continually defending their actions and decisions. Taking time from, or causing undue stress to our educators’ educational efforts during these challenging economic times, is detrimental to the over-all plan at Benton Community Schools. A few years ago, the board of education saw fit to provide a platform for every special interest group in the district, and it has created controversy and division, but did little more than give those vocal few their moment of importance. Today, it seems we have a 'committee of education,' which is being pushed and pulled by people who have an emotional agenda. I know this to be true by seeing the items that are being considered, depending on the emotional pressure the board receives for each meeting. I felt some level of compromise and agreement had been reached after the state consultant came in this past year to help resolve some of the dissention. Was that just a futile exercise of everyone’s time and effort?
If we let our school’s administration be gutted, we’ll deserve the mediocre school system that remains, and the students will be the ultimate losers, and it will be a tragedy. You know, there were people who didn't like each Benton Superintendent from : Dale Grabinski, Phil England, Leland Wise, Harold Merchant, Steve Weir, to Gary Zittergruen. There are people who didn't like every principal or administrator, and there are people who won't like the next one either. But I'd like to believe that all have and are doing their job to the best of their ability. You may not like the individual -- that's your choice -- but I believe you should respect the position.
Per previously printed minutes, a board member stated that the school board does not have to allow the
To the people of Benton Community: What should be the “big picture” for Benton Community? Do we let the school administration and staff focus on educating the students and evaluating the building needs of the district, or do we want them continually defending their actions and decisions. Taking time from, or causing undue stress to our educators’ educational efforts during these challenging economic times, is detrimental to the over-all plan at Benton Community Schools. A few years ago, the board of education saw fit to provide a platform for every special interest group in the district, and it has created controversy and division, but did little more than give those vocal few their moment of importance. Today, it seems we have a 'committee of education,' which is being pushed and pulled by people who have an emotional agenda. I know this to be true by seeing the items that are being considered, depending on the emotional pressure the board receives for each meeting. I felt some level of compromise and agreement had been reached after the state consultant came in this past year to help resolve some of the dissention. Was that just a futile exercise of everyone’s time and effort?
If we let our school’s administration be gutted, we’ll deserve the mediocre school system that remains, and the students will be the ultimate losers, and it will be a tragedy. You know, there were people who didn't like each Benton Superintendent from : Dale Grabinski, Phil England, Leland Wise, Harold Merchant, Steve Weir, to Gary Zittergruen. There are people who didn't like every principal or administrator, and there are people who won't like the next one either. But I'd like to believe that all have and are doing their job to the best of their ability. You may not like the individual -- that's your choice -- but I believe you should respect the position.
Per previously printed minutes, a board member stated that the school board does not have to allow the