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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2011
Opinions
Georgia Press Association Best Editorial Writing 2010, 2011
Best Serious Column Writing 2011
National Newspaper Association Best Editorial 2011
our views
Some BCSS leaders still in denial
Presidential
voting coming
E ARLY in the stages of individual grief
recovery are feelings of denial, frustra
tion and anger before there are the
stages of acceptance, recovery and resolution.
That psychological process isn’t much different
than what happens when change threatens large
institutions. There is always resistance to doing
things differently, to admitting problems exist in
large corporate or public institutions. In fact, it is
much more difficult for institutions than individu
als to effect change simply because more egos
are involved.
Such is the situation with the Barrow County
School System where resistance to change and
institutional denial are evident with some of its
leaders.
A few of those feelings came out recently in
comments responding to an earlier editorial
calling for patience in allowing superintendent
Wanda Creel some time to make some much-
needed changes to the system. Some in the
school system responded in a defensive tone.
Although schools themselves hand out critical
critiques every day about their students’ perfor
mance, as an institution schools are loath to put
themselves under the same kind of evaluation,
especially when it comes from those from out
side the world of academia.
Generally, the response to any critical com
ment of a school system will have three parts:
First, deny or downplay the problems. Second,
blame the messenger. Third, divert attention to
something else.
That was the general reaction from two Barrow
County school principals who responded to my
earlier editorial critique.
County Line Elementary School Principal Chris
McMichael had this to say about school test
results: “Test scores and completion rates, while
easy to report and complain about (or celebrate
for that matter] are only the thinnest surface
measurement of what these people (teachers)
do for our children and community day in and
day out. To judge these people on only these
tenuous and somewhat arbitrary statistics is
grossly unfair. ”
Typical. When test scores are poor, dismiss
them as unimportant. Deny there is a problem.
But it’s funny, when scores go up, the first
people to shout about that from the nearest
mountaintop are the same people who earlier
dismissed them as unimportant.
More striking, these are the same people who
preach the opposite idea to students. One could
argue that an individual student’s classroom test
results “are only the thinnest surface measure
ment” of that individual. True, but teachers don’t
dismiss a student’s poor scores on that basis.
Likewise, the public shouldn’t dismiss a school’s
poor testing results just
because it is only part of
the picture.
Blaming the messen
ger was also evident
in McMichael’s com
ments.
“People tend to per
form best when they are
supported instead of
tom down all the time, ”
he said.
The same idea was
expressed in comments
by Yargo Elementary
principal Jan Massingill.
“All the negativity is demoralizing. It is damag
ing to our efforts. Partner with us, not against us.
Help us continue our forward progress. We can
accomplish so much more if we pull together!”
Again, such is the typical reaction from aca
demia to any kind of critical analysis. The public
should never be critical of a school or ask tough
questions; let’s all hold hands and sing Kum bah
Ya together — that will fix everything!
And it’s always the media’s fault. If we just
ignored the bad news, it would all go away. If you
don’t like the message, shoot at the messenger.
McMichael sniffed that his institution deserved
more “respect.”
“While there is always room (and need!) for
change and growth, we really need to show a
bit more respect, if not outright gratitude for
what the majority do and the awesome task they
take on daily when we discuss these important
issues, ” he opined.
But the truth is, the media reports on a host of
school activities and events, not just test scores.
Yet those “positive” articles get forgotten when
one story about a school’s poor academic per
formance is published.
All of this comes from a condescending atti
tude from academics who don’t want to be
held to any standards and who resent data that
doesn’t conform to their on narrative.
The third denial tactic of institutional problems
is to divert attention. Massingill offered an often-
used device in public schools; come visit us.
7 invite you to come to our wonderful school
any day. We have dedicated, hard-working
teachers and staff members who work tirelessly
to motivate and inspire students every single day
to do their best!”
Well, yes, by all means go visit local schools.
But Massingill is biased here; her school is the
strongest elementary school in the county aca
demically. She’s commenting on problems that
don’t exist too much in her particular school. If
you are going to visit a school, go to one of the
weaker schools in the system.
A month to be thankful
The BOE recently heard from three of the
system’s principals about ways to improve test
scores, a move that was apparently in response
to some of the critical analysis of the system’s
recent testing results. The three principals were
Massingill, Sheila Kahrs of Haymon-Morris Middle
School and Cindy Propst of Bramlett Elementary
School. Guess what, those are principals from
three of the strongest schools in the system.
Why didn’t the BOE hear from the principals
of the weakest schools in the system? It’s another
example of how the system, at its highest levels,
remains in denial. If the BOE had been serious
about addressing the system’s weak test results, it
wouldn’t bring in three of its best principals for a
public dog-and-pony show; it would have brought
in principals from the system’s weakest schools
— Auburn and Holsenbeck Elementary Schools,
Russell Middle School and both high schools
--and grilled those principals about how they
intend to improve their school’s testing results.
In any event, the measure of a school isn’t
its surface appearance; it’s the effectiveness of
its instruction. Problems in instruction can’t be
glossed over by simply inviting people to skate
the surface of a school’s halls. It’s results, not just
process that counts. But the academic establish
ment is obsessed with process and technology.
Yet, those things mean nothing unless it results in
stronger student performance.
Barrow County has some good teachers and
good schools, including Massingill’s school. I’m
not writing about this to pick on anyone. But
the overall academic results are not universally
strong in the Barrow County School System and
a system is only as strong as its weakest link.
This isn’t only a school issue, however. Many
in the community, including some parents, are
also in denial: “It was good enough for me, so it’s
good enough for my kids.”
Raising the bar in academic expectations is
both a school and a community undertaking.
Without parent and community support, prog
ress will be slow.
Still, setting those higher expectations has to
begin inside the schools. The Barrow County
School System is in the early stages of institu
tional change and some in the system are still
in denial that a major change needs to happen.
They are comfortable with the status quo and
don’t want to move out of that comfort zone.
That’s the tough psychological phase some
Barrow school officials are struggling with. That
will change with time and strong leadership.
Barrow County has the potential to be one of the
strongest school systems in the area.
But the first step toward fixing a problem is to
admit you have one.
Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow
Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreet-
news.com.
“She said she usually cried at least
once each day, not because she was
sad, but because the world was so
beautiful and life was so short. ” -
the Story People
NOVEMBER is the month of thank
fulness — actually every month
should be a month of thankfulness,
but things get busy - so it’s good that
we set aside one month where being
thankful is the law. And, that month
has arrived, along with blissfully cool
temperatures, beautiful fall colors
and the anticipation of the holidays. I
love this time of year!
My thankful month started early
with a visit home to Colorado to see
my family. I have a great family and I
only get to see them once a year, so
the time spent with them is precious.
We are a loud group with a fondness
for good food and stiff bourbon, so
things get pretty animated and often
by the end of the evening, the happy
tears are flowing and we’re telling
each other how much we love each
other, hugging, laughing and filling
the room up with love...As Kodak
moments go, you gotta’ love that
and I do.
The happy tears continued during
my sister’s visit last week. She and
her boyfriend spent several days with
us, which meant more laughing and
loudness, good food and bourbon.
My kids and their spouses came for
an overnight just before my sister
left and that made for an evening of
extreme happy thankfulness for me.
There is nothing I love more than hav
ing all the people I most love under
one roof, enjoying each others’ com
pany and having fun. And, if they
are all healthy, which so far we are,
that is a level of
being blessed
that sends me
right down on
my knees...so
many blessings,
such thankful
ness.
lorin
sinn-clark
My work
makes me
thankful, too,
because I get to
experience and
document wonderful poignant things
all of the time. Last week, I went to
the local Relay for Life Kick-Off event
and there is no more thankful, lit up,
life and love-filled group of people
than a room full of cancer survivors.
Some were still in the midst of their
battle and the support their families
and caregivers provide was palpable,
strong and real...People lifting other
people up in the spirit of loving
care...Here came those happy tears
again.
I blinked back a few happy tears
after talking to a young woman
named Shaquilla Harrigan who has
recently been appointed to a couple
of very impressive state youth boards.
I had forgotten how poised, intelli
gent, articulate, polite and absolutely
on fire about finding her place in the
world a high school senior can be.
Over the years I have experienced that
again and again, but each time their
enthusiasm amazes and inspires me.
One of the things Shaquilla was so lit
up about is the support she has got
ten from her family, this community
and the people in her schools as she
grew. Sometimes we get so focused
on what’s not working that we forget
how much success is happening all
around us, all of the time. Taking a
moment to be thankful brings that
back into view...
Happy people just doing their jobs
is another thing I’m thankful for,
as they provide a daily reminder of
the simple blessings all around us.
For example, the family I get our
dry cleaning from at Elders Cleaners
never ceases to brighten my day and
make me re-evaluate my personal
level of gloom. My UPS man, Eric
Buchanen, is one of the friendliest,
most upbeat guys who’ll ever knock
on a door - that’s in spite of my dogs
barking way too loudly at him. My
mailman Johney (yes, it’s spelled
that way - he has a funny story about
that) Friar is as cheery and funny a
messenger as he can be, and some
of the stories he tells about things he
does to help the people on his route,
well, they bring those happy tears to
my eyes.
I am thankful for this old money
pit of a home that somehow we
continue to pay for; and, I am thank
ful for Mr. Clark’s continued excel
lent employment. Back in the days
when he was out of work for so
long things got desperate and forc
ing myself to be thankful for what we
had left was the only thing that got
me through until these much brighter
times returned.
Also on my “Thankful For” list are
the people in this community who
continuously encouragement me
with kind words, thoughtful com
ments and heart-felt compliments.
Sometimes I feel so fragile and odd,
and invariably when that’s the state
I’m in, someone shows up and says
just the right thing and, after the
happy tears fall, I am thankful again.
Meister Eckhart said, “If the only
prayer you ever say in your entire
life is thank you, it will be enough.”
What a powerful thought...and one I
try to keep in my mind and close to
my heart at all times. So, welcome
November — the month thankful
ness. Let the happy tears begin!
Lorin Sinn-Clark is features edi
tor of the Barrow Journal. She can
be reached at lorin@barrowiournal.
com
The Barrow Journal
Winder, Barrow County, Ga.
www.BarrowJoumal.com
Mike Buffington Co-Publisher
Scott Buffington Co-Publisher
Chris Bridges Editor
Susan Norman Government News Editor
Lorin Sinn-Clark Features Editor
Susan Treadwell Advertising Manager
Susan Mobley Office Manager
Jeremy Ginn Marketing Manager
Jessica Brown Photographer
Katie Cofer Reporter
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Out of county Senior Citizens Deduct $2
ITEMS from the political notebook:
•New Hampshire has set its pri
mary date for the 2012 presidential
election.
Candidates will compete Jan. 10 in
this early key
state, which
is first up after
the Iowa cau
cus. It will be
interesting to
see just where
Herman Cain
is polling by
the time New
Hampshire
rolls around.
Unless
you’ve been
living in the
proverbial cave or under a rock in
recent days, Cain has been the center
of attention on the 24-hour news cable
stations and on talk radio.
It’s not surprising to see certain out
lets take one side or the other in the
Cain scenario. While only Cain and
the women involved truly know what
happened, the right wing media have
declared him innocent while the left
side of the fence has him guilty, even
without being charged with anything.
Most political experts (take that tag
for what it’s worth) don’t believe Cain
will hold onto his upward momen
tum. This was the thought even before
this latest news/scandal about him
broke. Watching to see how it plays
out is what makes politics fun.
Georgia’s presidential primary vote,
if you are interested, has been set for
March 6.
•It appears the Americans Elect
Party is well on its way to obtaining
a ballot spot in Georgia. The most
recent edition of Ballot Access News
indicated the group has now obtained
25,000 signatures, putting it at almost
halfway to the goal of 50,334 to fulfill
the requirement of a full party for our
state.
The Americans Elect Party is aim
ing to be on the ballot in 50 states
(some like Georgia are much harder
to obtain a spot for). You are also
beginning to hear some criticism of
the party for this reason or that reason
but it really all comes down to mak
ing those in the two-headed political
monster nervous about allowing vot
ers another choice.
•Right-wing talk show hosts have
been criticizing Ron Paul recently
(what else is new?) about his refusal
to state beyond any shadow of doubt
that he would not run as a third
party candidate provided he is not the
Republican nominee.
Paul ran as the Libertarian Party
nominee in 1988 after he did not like
the direction the Republican Party
was taking on spending and taxes.
He has been elected as a Republican
congressman from Texas numerous
times though.
As someone who believes “the
more choices the better,” I’d wel
come a Paul third-party run. He has
the die-hard followers to make some
noise if he decides to do so. Anything
to shake up the system the way it is is
a good thing.
• If you value choice when you go to
your polling precinct, then it appears
West Virginia would be a good place
to reside.
In the recent election for Governor
on Oct. 4, there were five candi
dates on the general election ballot
including Democrat (the winner),
Republican, Mountain Party, an inde
pendent and the Harry V. Betram of
American Third Position Party (yes,
you read that right.)
• 10th District incumbent and politi
cal kook Paul Broun already has pri
mary competition for 2012. Stephen
Simpson, a businessman and retired
Army officer, is now on the campaign
trail. With Barrow County now part of
the 10th District, removing Broun from
office is vital for 2012. Broun has done
nothing of note since being elected,
unless you count sending out mul
tiple press releases calling President
Obama everything name under the
sun. There is more to holding this
office than criticizing the President
and trying to appeal to an ultra right-
wing fringe base.
Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow
Journal. You can reach him at cbridg-
es@barrowjournal. com.
chris
bridges