Focus, please: Board members need to spend more time on what matters

It is too early to draw a conclusion about the newest members of the Wayne County Board of Education.

But after a rather contentious meeting about a policy change that included multiple quotes from "Robert's Rules of Order" it is not too early for a reality check.

We did not put you into office to bicker, waste time or hold up discussion with a laser focus on minutiae or grandstanding.

And we certainly hope we are not seeing the beginnings of a power struggle or an ego battle of momentous proportions that will make everyone lose sight of what really matters.

We put you into office to help make the Wayne County schools the very best they can be.

Period.

That means that the concentration should be absolutely on academics, facilities and attracting the best teachers we can. It means talking about what really matters -- getting more diplomas in the hands of county students and more of them sent off to college or a successful future.

Everything else is simply a waste of time.

It was disheartening to hear about such an inauspicious start to the new year, but it is certainly not too late to get things back on track.

Leadership means setting priorities and not just talking to hear yourself talk.

Let's hope that the new board -- and all county leaders -- are prepared to live up to that calling.

Published in Editorials on January 11, 2011 10:41 AM