Arrogance Or Necessity?

Here is a letter we wish we could sign but can’t because we still have students attending Los Alamos High School and do not trust that they would not experience a blacklash from the administration. Other parents have shared directly with us how their children have been threatened and badly treated. If it were only our necks we were sticking out, we would proudly do it but we are unwilling to put our children in difficult and untrustworthy situations.

We whole heartedly agree with the recent letter regarding the duties and responsibilities of the superintendent and the school board. We do not agree that their involvement was inappropriate or arrogant. Their involvement was necessary and a reflection of the leadership at the high school. If there existed trustworthy, quality leadership in the LAHS administration neither the superintendent, his assistant nor any school board members would have been involved in decision making about the prom. We applaud each of them for their willingness to do what was right.

There are obviously problems at the high school and the leadership is unable to handle it. There is a divide amongst teachers, students, parents and community members who are “happy” with the administration, getting their needs met and those who are “unhappy,” who feel unheard, threatened and bullied. Regardless of who is right, we have a serious problem, a daunting fracture set up between groups by inadequate leadership that results in a poorly run system.

The folks who are getting what they want are free to openly support the administration, they have nothing to lose. The folks who are dissatisfied and believe that our community, our teachers and our students can do better with quality leadership are not able to enjoy the same voice for fear of the retaliation that has been evidenced. It doesn’t matter nearly so much whom you believe is in the right, it matters that it is broken. 

We have a problem. We hope the superintendent and school board will stay involved until this mess is resolved. Thank you superintendent and school board for sticking your necks out, going beyond the call of duty and doing what is right when some of us have our children at stake so we are unable to.