EDITOR:
Call it what you want, politics, sour grapes, mismanagement or incompetence. Does it matter? Coming from any angle, it doesn't work for me. Is it acceptable to you? Ask Douglas County School District for a copy of the superintendent's evaluation meeting dated June 17, 2009. It's a public meeting and you have a right to know what's going on.
Each of you has individual communities within your school. The leader of that community is the principal. Sixteen out of 21 of those community leaders would not have Lark continue as superintendent, and 16 out of 21 indicate that Lark doesn't have fundamental or significant understanding of what the needs of the school district are (referring to board member Sharla Hale's evaluator comments).
So, let's follow some simple logic ...
The majority of Lark's own administrative team doesn't support her. Sounds like incompetence? Lark would like to summarily fire those who oppose her. Sounds like mismanagement? School Board President Cindy Trigg makes snide comments about "Indians running the camp" and calls administrators roadblocks and saboteurs.
Are these the same administrators that we greatly admire as our school and community leaders? Sounds like sour grapes?
With the exception of two school board members, who actually did the job they were elected to do, as difficult as it was to evaluate the superintendent. The others did not, and chose to put off to tomorrow what should have already been done. Sounds like politics.
In listening to the closing comments by the board, you'll hear Keith Roman indicate that the board should take another 30 days or so to evaluate whether or not to extend the superintendent's contract. No disrespect to Mr. Roman, but 30 days can't change incompetence, mismanagement, sour grapes, or politics.
But Mrs. Lark could. Do the right thing, Mrs. Lark - step down and let our fractured school district heal and move on. We shouldn't be talking about politics here. Shouldn't it be about what's best for the kids?
Kortnee Williams
Minden
