Board member calls for MacInnes' resignation
Your Turn
Avery W. Grant
Guest Column

Assistant State Education Commissioner Gordon A. MacInnes was quoted in the newspapers as follows, "Critics are right in saying that a lot of time and money has been wasted. That's a crime. You don't get that time back."

Assistant Commissioner MacInnes was referring to the time and money spent on improving the scholastic and related performance of students in the 31 special needs school districts in the state. The special needs school districts are commonly called Abbott school districts after the New Jersey Supreme Court case that mandated funding and facilities equal to those of wealthier school districts. These 31 school districts are located primarily in urban communities. There are four special needs school districts in Monmouth County - Asbury Park, Long Branch, Keansburg and Neptune.

This is a terribly demeaning and condemning statement of the efforts of the school boards, administrators, staff, students and parents of these 31 school districts. It is also a terrible self indictment of Commissioner MacInnes because he is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Abbott program.

His statement was made in context with critics who say the Abbott program is not working when comparing the performance of Abbott schools on state-mandated tests. To his credit, MacInnes said important educational reforms have taken place, and higher test scores and better results - such as lower dropout rates - will eventually be seen, just as the early elementary school grades have shown improved test scores.

Further, his statement raises more concern when considering the state legislature last year passed the S1701 law that placed some restrictions on spending in all school districts. This law was passed without or with very little input from state, county, and our local educators, presumably because the state legislators thought the educators' input would be counterproductive.

There are concerns about high superintendents' salaries, and about the practice of superintendents and some administrators "cashing in" unused sick leave days. Such practices and the imposition of the S1701 law should not evoke such comments from MacInnes.

Whatever the case, MacInnes should resign. His statements will exacerbate residents' concerns about public education with the recent release of the state's standardized test score statistics showing only a slight improvement in the test scores of Abbott school districts.

As a school board member, I feel very confident time and money have not been wasted. Yes, there have been needs to revise newly implemented teaching strategies, procedures and techniques that have not produced the desired results - the "learning curve" - but this is an honest and a healthy (not a wasteful) process.

The standardized test scores of Abbott districts' fourth-grade students who started in the first preschools four or five years ago have shown significant improvement. As the staged implementation of school reforms - including adequate facilities - progress, it is certain to produce similar significant improvements in the upper grade test scores.

I ask that everyone join in the effort to successfully educate all children in New Jersey, and we not continue to pit Abbott and non-Abbott school districts against each other. Our most serious challenge for success is to motivate all of our students to respect themselves and others. I am not sure the seriousness of this challenge is understood by everyone. As a substitute teacher for several years in non-Abbott districts' high schools, I was astounded by male students who were obsessed with getting drunk and doing drugs on the weekends, and by female students obsessed with dressing sexy and having sex. If proof is needed, read the newspapers about the numerous arrests for underage drinking and abusive behavior in these communities.

In closing, Assistant State Commissioner MacInnes made the condemning statement, he apparently believes it, and his self indictment highlights ineffectiveness - so he should resign from his state office.

Avery W. Grant is a resident of Long Branch