What Other Storms Are Damaging Knox County Schools?

The 2011-2012 school year is fast approaching. Does that seem impossible to anyone other than me? It’s the middle of July, and band camps and football teams are already practicing. School starts in some systems at the end of July and the rest during the first weeks of August. Whatever happened to the days when school opened after Labor Day? Lots of things have happened to make Knox County Schools unidentifiable to lots of us.

The system’s schools have turned, for the most part, from the traditional Three R’s. In their places sits the burning desire for students to score well on standardized tests. However, a child’s learning things that apply to real life situations is of secondary importance. The moronic program No Child Left Behind changed the rules of public education. In place of learning, the stuff of real education, are percentages—of achievement test scores, graduation rates, and overall school performance. Forget the contributing factors such as the value placed on education by parents, the socio-economic characteristics of the surrounding communities, or even the commitment of students to their education and their impact on focused areas. Too many school systems want graduation rates increased, even if it means passing students who haven’t completed work or learned a thing. It’s all about looking good on paper.

Knox County Schools, just like the rest around the country, jump through governmental hoops so that the funding continues to roll in. The funny part is that more and more demands are placed on the schools while less money is being expended to fund them. Instead of demanding that teachers be allowed to teach and that politicians keep their noses out of something about which they have little knowledge, systems and their administrators kowtow to federal government officials and become their lackeys.

The school system is also investing more and more time in professional growth and training days. The majority of teachers agree that the days are less than rewarding and the time would be better spent doing their jobs—TEACHING. However, if those sessions aren’t included, some central office staff members would have no job.

Another strange thing about Knox County Schools is the hiring practices, especially regarding principals and directors. Over the time that Supt. James McIntyre has been at the helm, many new hires have come from places outside Knox County or even the immediate area. Some individuals came to the system from Massachusetts; others have been cultivated from Nashville and Kentucky. Folks wonder why those long distance hires are necessary. These out-of-system people might be effective leaders, but surely the system already employs individuals who are qualified and capable of performing the duties of a principal or another administrative position.

The system’s penchant for moving principals around confounds many of us. In years gone-by, the leader of a school put down roots in the community and became an important individual to all. For those who were good leaders, parents and students identified with the principal and bought in to the direction of the school. Principals were moved when they failed to do a good job.

These days, school level administrators are moved like Methodist ministers. However, a minister is moved to meet the needs of a specific congregation. Principals seem to be shuffled to keep them from developing ties to the community. Is it a power play by the superintendent that keeps communities from developing a united front that proves advantageous for students and teachers?

The bottom line is that school doesn’t have the same appeal that it once did. That’s a sad fact. Public schools will continue to decline until they once again become the focal points of communities. That will happen when systems wise up about the social aspects of a group of people. They might also wake up and realize that education of children includes much more than test scores. I’m thankful that my tenure with Knox County Schools ended a few years ago. If it hadn’t, I might have been replaced for failing to meet percentages. Teaching kids what they needed was more important to me.