Roy Exum
Okay … whistle up the dogs and water on the fire – this hunt is over before it ever begins. I could take a panel of seven King Solomons, Ronda Thurman and Joe Smith, both “common sense” members of the Hamilton County School Board, and get a unanimous decision to immediately install Justin Robertson as the new superintendent of the Hamilton County Department of Education. My reasoning is quite simple: Justin is one of the finest people I have ever known.
Or there is this: No human being the school board could spend $50,000 in a “carefully studied and thoughtful search,” which always turns into a circus, can equal his experience, his deep understand of our community and our aching need for quality public school education. This isn’t about politics, race, or favoritism. It is all about the child and, as a parent of two grown children and five grandchildren, I would trust Justin implicitly with any one of them.
The only true gift a parent can give a child is a respected last name and a solid education. For the majority of 43,000 HCDE students, a high school diploma is the end of formal education. Those who do not attend college are our next focus – we need to steer them into apprentice programs where they can apply their skills and personalities and eagerness into a proactive and meaningful life.
I believe with all of my heart Justin Robertson feels the same way and will deliver to our children and our community the vehicle (education in reading, writing and arithmetic) for success. He came up through the system, from principal to the Central Office.
Mind you, for years the Central Office was a junkyard of sorts where those who could not ‘principal’ were put to pasture. Unfortunately, there are some who ought not to be there today. There are others who do not deserve to be there and still a few who have never pulled their weight or paid the freight. You darn right I am critical and as for the superintendent who just tendered his surprise registration earlier this week, I have no comment.
This is why Justin, universally admired and respected by those who matter, is a crucial hire for our community. It is said that today the Department of Education will present a new education formula “with both mayors present.” This is after we have thrown away millions trying to educate our urban schools, kids who have the most to learn by being able to read, yet we are told 60 percent of our third graders cannot read at class level.
What they don’t tell you is what percentage at each school, nor do they dare tell you how these most-needy children are left behind from the fourth grade until graduation. “Generational poverty” is a very real thing and so is “generational hunger.” I have been told over half of our children are on “free lunch,” which to me begs for a 12-month school year, a full day that serves as day care as well, and the patronship of absent fathers and the single moms who work two jobs to keep the bills current.
I am convinced our urban schools dictate an urgent need that is not being met. I believe every mother should have the choice of any school in the district that they feel can best teach their child. If enough parents snub this elementary school or that middle school … well, duh … Justin Robertson heals the crummy school of its faculty parasites and – get this --- the children are the real winners.
It is horribly unfortunate that our public schools have been allowed to decay and that there hasn’t been a solid plan to replace buildings, install regulation soccer fields and other athletic facilities, and rid some schools of teaching relics who should not be in a classroom. Sure, I know you need the money but unless you get the job done, honey, you are cheating our most precious asset, the child.
The Critical Race Theory is a huge pothole for America, and I know Justin Robertson will scoff at this and other “woke” topics that are carefully designed to create rancor, distrust, and chaos in our schools. Before World War II, there was the huge ‘Hitler Youth’ program because evil people realized if they could brain-train the children, they grow up to where atrocities are plumb easy. “Those who do not study history are forced to relive it.”
I know Justin’s mom and dad, his family. His values are on display every day and this guy is the deal. Sadly, with discipline problems at an all-time high, falling-down buildings, teacher retention and recruitment woes, and sagging performance results due to COVID, being the superintendent of a public school district is akin to combat pay but I strongly believe in Justin.
Candidly, there are some wonderful and dedicated teachers and staff personnel in our public school system and, yes, the noise of 20 percent of the pretenders outweigh the 80 percent of the silent heroes. The teacher’s union is a joke until it reveals what percentage of our teachers actually pay dues, and the ‘outside influences,’ such as Planned Parenthood’s hope to teach sex education, is ever problematic.
Most of all, our politicians and our civic leaders must begin to understand 43,000 public school children are our future and that there is no more valuable commodity in our community. I strongly believe that Justin Robertson is the obvious choice, the obvious answer, and the obvious solution to next lead the Hamilton County Department of Education.
royexum@aol.com
Justin Robertson