May 2, 2007 — Give them the real power to run their schools and then hold them accountable, one principal told the Senate Committee on Education, Culture and Youth during an information-gathering hearing in Frederiksted Wednesday.
The committee heard testimony from more than a dozen St. Croix public school principals, who reported on the state of each of their schools.
While every principal’s account was unique to that school, each one in turn cited a lack of parental involvement as their most difficult challenge. Coming in a close second were an array of capital projects, and maintenance and repair issues. The issue of devolving power and responsibility to the level of the individual school brought out enthusiasm in Principal Carlos McGregor of Evelyn M. Williams Elementary.
“Give me the ability to hire and fire my own employees, then you can hold me accountable,” said McGregor, when Sen. Louis Hill asked him if principals should be held accountable for the state of their schools.
“Every expenditure requires 10 signatures before the money is released,” McGregor said. “It is clear the system we are operating under right now it is not working and we need to change that … If I am supposed to be getting $150,000 for the school, give it to me, hold me accountable and if I misuse it, send me to jail.”
This philosophy met with the approval of Sen. Terrence Nelson.
“I agree with your position Mr. McGregor: give you a budget and hold you accountable,” Nelson said.
A number of the principals pointed to the culture at home as a major battlefield.
“The biggest problem we have is parents not participating in the school,” St. Croix Central High Principal Kurt Vialet said. “If we think money is going to change education we won’t get anywhere. Attitudes have to change to change education.”
Other principals echoed this sentiment.
“We need to involve more parents in the education process of their children,” Elena L. Christian Jr. High Principal Willard John said.
“Our biggest challenge is a low parental-involvement rate,” Juanita Gardine Elementary Principal Carmen Mills said.
Other principals presented the same message more sympathetically.
“Parents have challenges,” Ricardo Richards Elementary Principal Colleen Williams said. “Some have two jobs; some students are relying on guardians that are not their parents.”
Although faced with challenges, the principals each pointed to their successes as well.
“We need to clear up the misnomer that public school education is bad,” Vialet said. “Public education is not bad. There are resources, we have dedicated staff. Many of our kids are getting a good education.”
Among the many building and grounds issues brought up by the principals, the most egregious were at John H. Woodson Jr. High. Closed for over a year for renovations, Woodson reopened last autumn, keeping the auditorium closed for repairs. Nonfunctioning windows, ventilation, mold and vermin problems stemming from a nearby garbage dumpster site were among the problems principal Vaughn Hewitt said were still vexing the school.
“It is important for me to note that most of the … projects were to be completed by this time,” Hewitt said. “It is important to know where we are with each project and a timeframe for completion. I am afraid that if this is not done in a matter of days, we will return for the 2007-2008 school year with the same problems.”
Principal Ophelia Jackson of the Positive Connections Alternative Education School in Estate Richmond said abandoned buildings around the school were a major hazard. On several occasions trespassers have set themselves up in one or another of the buildings and on at least one occasion a student was attacked by a vagrant living in one.
“It’s not safe,” Jackson said. “Either the government needs to get serious about doing something with the buildings or they need to be demolished.”
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