School support: Discussing problems at Goldsboro not a rejection

No one wants to hear something less than complimentary about his or her alma mater.

So, it is not too surprising that discussion concerning Superior Court Judge Howard Manning’s admonishment of 17 high schools — including Goldsboro High — would not be well-received by those who attended there or who have children who are students there.

And, it is also understandable that a student reading the articles might think that no one in this community thinks anything of the young men and women who attend there — and that some people would like to pretend there is no Goldsboro High.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

There are lots of reasons to be proud of the students at Goldsboro High School. The Class of 2006 logged an impressive number of scholarships for college, and there are students there who are achieving every day in the classroom as well as on the athletic field.

We are proud of our Cougars, just as we are of all the schools that are part of the Wayne County School District.

But, that said, we also want the best for the students at Goldsboro High. So, when there is a problem, like consistently low test scores, we can’t ignore it and simply point out the positives. We have to address the issue, look for underlying causes and band together to come up with a solution.

That’s what you do when something matters to you.

Some of the students at Goldsboro High School expressed concern that they could not count on their community at a recent public forum conducted by the State Board of Education. They said they had heard nothing but negatives about their teachers, their classmates and their school. It might seem that way.

Sometimes, as the community continues to talk about what is in store in the future for Goldsboro High, it will be necessary to talk about negatives. Some people will ask questions and ask for accountability from those who are charged with the education of Goldsboro’s children. And that is what they should do, if they truly care about the students who attend there.

Hopefully, sometime soon, there will be a whole new set of facts to report about Goldsboro High. There will be higher scores and more students earning even more significant college scholarships.

This hard work now will make that future celebration possible.

Published in Editorials on September 8, 2006 12:07 PM