Griffin should lead by example
As an educator in Charlottesville for the past 4 1/2 years, I attended my first school board meeting on February 3, along with a few hundred parents, co-workers, students and community members [“A class apart,” The Week, February 8]. I left late in the evening feeling a variety of emotions: pride for all of those willing to publicly voice their concerns; disappointment in realizing that our collective energy and efforts are ultimately being directed away from the students in our care; and frustration and anger with the inflammatory rhetoric and name-calling cast by those such as Dean M. Rick Turner to incite divisiveness.
Despite the best efforts of our educators, I think we can all agree that there are a number of glaring deficiencies in our schools that point conclusively to the fact that the needs of many of our black students are not being addressed with alarming consequences to our community as a whole. Black students continue, for example, to be under-represented in gifted/ advanced classes and over-represented in special education. One need only to refer to the yearly Standards of Learning results to see that there is a very real achievement gap between black students and their white counterparts in our city. The question that needs to be answered is not whether there are problems in our schools that disproportionately impact our African-American students, but how these weaknesses can best be resolved. Such change requires a shared vision and a plan to accomplish that vision. Such change does not necessarily require expensive consultants or costly audits, but rather communication, collaboration and the support of all involved. Such change should not come at the expense of what is already working or result in the loss of resources that most impact success.
Despite what Dean Turner would like us to believe, the controversy surrounding Dr. Scottie Griffin had nothing to do with her race or gender but rather with whether she has the qualities of a leader who can bring about meaningful change. She has failed to effectively communicate her vision to her constituents and thus far has provided no plan to address the inequities in our schools. She has refused to collaborate with her fellow administrators; as a result she has lost their faith in her ability to lead. She has made little effort to communicate with and get to know the people that serve our children every day, and as a consequence has not gained their understanding and support.
Looking at her proposed budget, which initially included cuts in resources that impact disadvantaged students, failed to include pay raises for support staff and revealed a significant increase in her own expense account, many of us cannot help but wonder whether she was more interested in distancing herself from those in her charge than in closing the achievement gap. The outpouring of opposition from the majority of those present at the meeting last week shows that we will not tolerate a school budget that fails to reflect the needs of our students and staff.
I applaud the efforts of school board members, both black and white, who, on their own time, reached out to teachers and parents, sought out input from our school leaders and, most importantly, actively voiced their opposition to an unacceptable budget proposal. I would only hope that Dean Turner would take advantage of his role as a leader to educate and foster cooperation rather than to intimidate and create conflict. I believe that when this cloud of controversy is ultimately dispelled, our school system will re-emerge with a renewed commitment towards raising the expectations and achievements of all of our students and those who serve them.
Charlie Kollmansperger
Charlottesville
Schools should make the grade
As a parent of two children in the Charlottesville City School system, I attended the School Board meeting Thursday, February 3, at Charlottesville High School. I went to the meeting with the intention of being seen, being one of the numbers of parents who have become increasingly concerned about the recent budget proposals, and leadership of the School Board. I came away feeling much more informed, but also, very proud to be a citizen of a city that obviously cares very deeply about the quality of its schools. I saw numerous people of all ages and races, some of whom don’t even have children in the city schools. I came away proud to live here and confident that due and fair process would take place.
We moved to Charlottesville seven years ago from Shaker Heights, Ohio, a city with a very similar diversity and structure to its public schools. Shaker is a city with a great amount of pride in its public school system. When we came to Charlottesville, we had the opportunity to purchase a home in many of the surrounding school systems, but we chose Charlottesville for its higher quality of education, and we have not yet been disappointed.
The recent changes in the leadership of the city schools, however, have us concerned. In the seven years that we have lived here, we have seen great and positive strides in the quality of Walker School and Buford Middle School, to be specific. The proposals of the superintendent and the School Board threaten to diminish the quality of not only these two schools, but the system in general.
We would urge the School Board to think very carefully and thoroughly before considering the recent proposals. In closing, please remember that a city is made, and its reputation built, on the quality of its public school system. Please do not let this wonderful city down.
Erica and Adam Goldfarb
Charlottesville
Mayor: UVA keeps Council informed
Your article on UVA’s proposed new arts center unfortunately mischaracterizes the efforts the University is currently making to inform the City and our residents about development [“The incredible brick mushroom,” The Week, February 8]. Statements that “UVA has surprised the city with plans to build a new arts center on Ivy Road” and “word that the arts center would be on Ivy Road, not Massie Road, is news to City Council” are just wrong. Not only did University Architect David Neuman discuss this project—and its location—at a City Council work session in November and at a Planning Commission work session last May, he also has given presentations on the arts center to both the Venable and Lewis Mountain neighborhoods.
Since I was elected to Council in May, UVA has held numerous meetings with the City and our neighborhoods to talk about the University’s plans. I believe these meetings have been appreciated and well received, and I think the University should be commended for these efforts.
David E. Brown
Mayor, City of Charlottesville
The editor responds: Indeed, C-VILLE was imprecise in characterizing Council’s awareness of the Ivy Road project. We should have said that at least one Councilor was surprised by UVA’s developments—rather than the entire five-member body.
Left behind
Here are a few questions for you: Does C-VILLE have a higher purpose, perhaps, than the endless Bush-bashing and the publication of lengthy studies of third-class rock bands [“Practice round,” January 25]? I know the endless titillation of the Lummox Left is important to you, but surely you know it’s just a kind of masturbation—short-term pleasure, but going nowhere. What Bush-Cheney do in Washington—short of nuclear conflagration—has as much relevance to our local situation as what Tinkerbell is doing in Never Never Land.
Aren’t there any cartoonists around to take on our witless City Council? Are there no investigative reporters willing to challenge the clueless meanderings of the school’s superintendent? No essayists to expose the venal triumvirate of developers-lawyers-politicians who are quite happy to turn the county into a new Northern Virginia for their own dirty profits?
I could also ask for Balm in Gilead, I suppose, but why bother; we’ve got Ted Rall and “Bush sucks” rants to amuse and distract us while the fields are paved, the trees come down, traffic piles up and the air begins to stink!
Dan L. Traub
Albemarle County