Sometimes I agree with Roy Exum and sometimes not, but this time he is dead on. There is no defensible, logical reason to extend Superintendent Scales' contract for four years when he still has two years to go on his current contract.

So why extend it now, less than two months before the August election in which at least one and possibly as many as three school board members will be replaced? Fear.

The powers-that-be who are interested in preserving the status quo in our county education system know they will no longer have Joe Conner to do their bidding, and they are afraid that they may also lose the District 2 and 4 incumbents to determined challengers who are actually concerned about education and cannot be bought or intimidated.

Therefore, the only way to lock in their control is to ram the contract through in a hurry before they lose the rubber-stamp votes on the board.

Unfortunately, since the proposed extension is for four years and that is also the term associated with each school board seat, the current board members will effectively be disenfranchising the new members (and everyone who votes for them) with regard to the highly important question of who runs the school system as CEO.

I have nothing personal against Dr. Scales and I am willing to listen to his case for renewal at the appropriate time - two years from now - after I have had the chance to observe him in action during that interval. However, even if he is doing a fine job, this is far too early to give him such a long extension.

I hope citizens all over Hamilton County will contact their current school board members and let them know that this politically motivated rush to renew the superintendent's contract is not acceptable.

Dr. Joe Dumas
Candidate for School Board, District 2
joe@joedumas.com

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I totally agree with Mr. Exum's article about the school super contract. I live in Marion County and observe the school situation with a lot of interest. We recently picked a new school super from right here in our valley and I am pleased to say, it was a wise move. As a parent of several children and a small business owner for 28 years, I feel qualified to make these comments.

Explain to me and all the other people out here, why in the world would you pick a person from another region, give them a lucrative contract with bonuses running out their ears, while they have actually no inherit reason to really care if they make things the way they need to be? Mr. Scales, like many before him, are hired hands dragging in all the treasures for themselves, while not having children or family in the schools, with the possible intent of jumping ship when another offer could pop up.

My goodness, with their pay and retirement package, you would think they had cured cancer or something. Instead, he makes remarks that the kids, when they decide to show up, may need to pull up their pants or need a later time to come in to school. What are the people that are in charge of your funds for the schools thinking? Do they not have a lick of common sense?

Have you ever heard the phrase "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" Well, why would a school super give a hoot when they don't have one thing to lose and everything to gain, just by showing up? Are they not accountable?

Maybe our neighbors in Hamilton County need to change the people that are actually doing the selecting of your school leader and make all be accountable, not for just all of the money involved, but for the life long careers of our kids. Is this not what our concern should be instead of more contracts for the uncaring or unqualified? Tell me where I am wrong.

Joe Blevins
Guild, Tn.