What Am I Missing?
An Open Letter to the School Board
1. A first grade teacher in Key Largo is found by a parent, not an administrator, to be under the influence in the classroom with an open container of alcohol in her desk. Makes you wonder how long this behavior has been going on? Because of years of loyal service, she is allowed to quietly resign, effective with the close of the school year, and presumably nothing in her personnel file to alert a future employer.
2. A staffer in Key West remains employed with the School District despite facing felony charges for defrauding her employer. The District has been “investigating” the issue for over six months and has yet to come to a conclusion.
3. A gang of students, a dozen or more, trashed Key West High School. Based on media reports of the damage done, I expect the cleanup costs to run into the thousands of dollars. The police stopped a number of students, but no one was arrested or otherwise charged. Seems that the District intends to handle any discipline “in house”. Will reimbursement be required to offset the expenses to the taxpayers?
Why does the School District wish to assume the mantle of judge and jury rather than turn such cases over to the appropriate authorities for adjudication?
Larry Murray
Big Pine Key
Dr. Murray,
Why, you ask, does the School Board “wish to assume the mantle of judge and jury”? I have to believe the question is rhetorical, just as I believe you know the answer. It’s the Conch mentality of protecting their own. Rather than the slap on the wrist these kids received, the principal should have required the kids to clean up the place and pay for the supplies out of their own pocket or face expulsion. Throwing around some T.P. is harmless fun (ok, technically littering) but the emptying of garbage cans and vandalism is going too far. Unfortunately, these punks will have learned nothing from this, and pathetically neither will their parents.