Editor’s Note 1: An “Anonymous”, but well-informed reader has provided Robert A with an anonymous e-mailed message with the following statements and analysis regarding failing Schools at Cleveland County Schools. Totally based on School Year 23-24. Which is the most recent full-fledged and well documented School Year at CCS. And dares Robert A to take a stand on DEI hiring and promotions. DEI being Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The Anonymous Letter text is shown below:
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I will classify underperforming schools into three categories and make my case later. These are all based on the 2023-2024 school year. (Which is the most recent full CCS School Year)
“Low Performing Schools” that did not meet student growth:
- Burns Middle School, Rating D, Did not meet student growth, Principal Jennifer Blanton
- Crest Middle School, Rating D, Did not meet student growth, Principal Katie Barbee
- Fallston Elementary, Rating D, Did not meet student growth, Principal Kim Greene
- James Love Elementary, Rating D, Did not meet student growth, Principal Miriam Harvey
- Kings Mountain Middle School, Rating D, Did not meet student growth, Principal Matt Tipton
“Low Performing Schools” that showed student growth:
- Shelby Middle School, Rating D, Met or Exceeded Student Growth, Principal Andy Roberts
- Township No Three Elementary School, Rating D, Met or Exceeded Student Growth, Principal Dustin Bridges
“Failing Schools” that did not meet student growth:
- Washington Elementary School,Rating F, Did not meet student growth, Principal Amy Jones
Analysis
A “low performing school” meeting student growth is a school in improvement stages. This is the category filled by male leaders (Roberts and Bridges).
If there is a new principal showing improvement in student growth, time should be provided by the public to see if the improvement can reach a rating of C or better.
Five out of the six schools with low-performing/failing scores with no student growth had head principals who were women.
It is essential to understand that there has been an obvious, yet unpublicized, push to advance women into administrative roles at CCS.
(Conclusion)
- There has almost been a concerted effort to keep strong, qualified men in supportive roles. This is not to say that women can’t be amazing administrators. Extremely successful schools like West Elementary, Casar Elementary, and Springmore Elementary were run by women in 2023-2024. The push to create more women administrators has created an environment where sex was a stronger hiring factor than preparation, competency, or experience.
There is no shortage of strong leaders in CCS. Many of our strong leaders are performing subservient roles in assistant principal offices while they are demasculinized by their incompetent female superiors.
(Suggestions)
(Robert A and citizens of Cleveland County)
- Please take a standthat CCS follows the president’s (Trump) executive orders to end DEI hiring practices. This is not to say that women are not capable of great leadership, but it is to say that when an initiative is followed to create more female administrators, there are consequences for children. The ratio for women teachers and teacher assistants in education is remarkably higher than men. However, the ratio of men who pursue administrative licenses outweigh women.
- In theory, flooding administrative roles with women (so administration reflects the working staff) means CCS is lowering the bar to provide employment opportunities for womenand leaving qualified men in supportive roles.
Signed,
Anonymous
Editor’s Note: The facts included in this Anonymous Letter are irrefutable. The Failing Schools are confirmed by public records as well as identities of the School Principals. The scores are also public records and have been proved over and over again. It is a well-documented fact that has been witnessed firsthand by Robert A himself that just a few years ago there were no failing schools in Cleveland County Schools. Now, over half of CCS schools are failing and it was ALL done under the un-watching eyes of CCS Superintendent Dr. Stephen Fisher. The deep and dark secret is out that CCS’s decline that started as a trickle has quickly turned into a waterfall-straight down.
Up to now, Robert A has believed that the decline in CCS School performance has only been only the result of a concentrated infection of incompetence. Incompetence that was random in its effects. But, the idea that DEI was a big part of an un-random and concerted DEI program instituted by the mostly Democrat controlled “WOKE” contingency deeply imbedded with the Democrats and the Democrat controlled NC Department of Pubic Education is almost certain to have played a big part in the performance decline at CCS schools over the past few years. A decline that has been obvious for all of Cleveland County citizens, parents and voters to see and recognize. All that being said, CCS does have a pattern of DEI-like issues that have heretofore been thinly disguised as incompetence and favoritism emanating from the First Baptist Church in Kings Mountain. Now, it seems, this precipitous decline at CCS is clearly caused by all of the above. And must also be resolved by a combination of individual resolutions all put together and overseen immediately by a new School Board majority at CCS.
However easy fixing the problems at CCS may seem, switching either Gloria Sherman or Aaron Bridges to form a NEW Majority on the CCS School Board may seem, getting that one thing done is quite another thing. It certainly appears that School Voucher Programs, where the taxdollars follow the child to Home Schools, Church Schools, Charter Schools, Private Schools, etc. appear to be the best way to get rid of both the CCS declining educational opportunities and the failing CCS Public Schools.
