Children have an opportunity for a good education at Blytheville Public Schools

Dear Editor:

I usually don't comment on Letters to the Editor or to views on Facebook that are contrary to my beliefs.

However, I'm sick & tired of hearing "how bad" the Blytheville School District is and to attack Superintendent Richard Atwill is just the last straw.

I taught in the public schools system for 31 years, most of which were at Robinson Elementary in Blytheville. After that, I served on the Blytheville School Board for 13 years.

I currently am not associated with the schools, nor have any children or grandchildren still in school.

But, I am a graduate of Blytheville High School, both my children graduated from Blytheville High School, and my grandchildren attended schools in the district prior to moving out of state.

I've been in all schools many times and still drop in occasionally. I know many of the teachers and administrators and know how hard that they work and how little pay that they receive for it.

I know how many hours and money of their own that most of them put in.

I've had area titleholders speak and visit in all of the schools. I've been to the high school already this year. I'm always impressed with the caliber of learning going on and the discipline of the students.

The Blytheville School District offers the most diverse classes and opportunities of any of the schools in the area. I don't believe that any student that graduates with a good GPA or ACT score would have a hard time being accepted into any college. Our students consistently win Odyssey of the Mind and compete and rank in the world event. There is plenty of learning going on in the Blytheville School District.

If we are going to look at evaluations on our schools, then we also need to look at the poverty level of our students and the background that a lot of them come from. When I taught Kindergarten, I had students come in that actually didn't know what their given name was, let alone, how to spell it!

Our teachers and administrators do an amazing job with these children. A former administrator used to say "they send us the best they have."

Well, sometimes, these children don't learn as well as others and don't test as well. But none of that means that they are not getting a good education.

If you don't believe that our schools are good enough, instead of writing letters about it and trying to take your children to other districts, visit the schools and superintendent and ask what you can do to help.

These students need to know that we are behind them and supporting them. If the whole community would stand behind our schools, teachers, administrators, and district, our schools would be much better.

If our schools are failing, then everyone in the community needs to take responsibility for it and help to make them better.

Volunteer, get involved, and ask what you can do for our school district.

-- Marrietta Jerome

Blytheville