Last night's meeting

If one thing is clear from Anniston's cost-cutting meeting last night it's this: there is no one solution. I've been working on a larger story concerning economic development and how it relates to the schools; the story will also examine what the picture looks like as we approach elections this summer. A letter in today's speakout, by Rose Munford- a concerned parent whose daughter recently graduated Anniston High School- surprised me...

Re "Report details 9 standards violations" (News story, March 15):

This story is very disturbing. What role did the five elected Anniston City School Board members play in the forming of the policies, procedures and overall management of the Anniston City Schools?

Former Superintendent Sammy Felton's management style existed through the majority voting approval of its elected board members. It is unfair for the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges report to document a majority of the findings against the former chief administrator and not hold the Anniston City School Board members equally responsible for the failures in their findings.

The superintendent did not hire himself to his position, nor did he make any decisions, recommendations, policies, procedures or rulings without the approval of the board. Who does the superintendent work for? Is it not for the Anniston Board of Education?

If six of the nine violations of the SACS standards shall be documented against the "chief administrator of the system," it should also reflect that the board be responsible for six of the violations, as well.

What a loss it would be to lose the only public high school in the "Model City." Maybe it is time to start considering merging the Anniston City School System into the Calhoun County School System so that money and our children can be saved!

Rose Munford
Anniston

I wonder how the other parents feel....