Editor:

I honestly think I speak for each and every taxpayer in this county, and even those landowing ones, when I say it is fair that citizens who pay taxes, even if it is at the grocery store, or gas station, should have the right to send their children to a decent non-threatening, well-maintained educational facility that’s in the 21st century.

They should not have to send their children to schools in another locality, or private school, to gain a decent education and prepare them for either higher learning or a technical field.

And though our schools are accredited, they are not prepared with the basics of English, reading, writing and, most importantly, arithmetic.

It is sad that when one leaves we don’t see it as a chance to improve. I did not and do not agree with outgoing School Board Chairman Russell Dove that we give out misinformation.

The fact is we have kept unqualified and incompetent people in our school system.

Division Superintendent Dr. David Smith came in with passion and the right ideas but was quickly squashed by Dove and the former board, and some of the present board. And now Dove wants us to allow him to pick a new superintendent before he leaves, when we have a new board taking effect in July? I think not.

In short, all of the taxpayers in this county have relied on the school board and the board of supervisors for far too long to do the right thing and bring our schools in line.

It’s time we make our school board more answerable to the citizens they wish to represent and not to those who may have a bias or partial consideration — i.e., elected school board.

Kenneth W. Jackson

Rice