Thomas McChesney: Superintendent insults Highlawn community with his comments
February 19, 2009 @ 09:45 PM
The Herald-Dispatch
Comments about the Highlawn neighborhood made by Cabell County school Superintendent Bill Smith in a Feb. 12 article were insulting and disgraceful and illustrate that our Board of Education is completely out of touch with the community it serves.
Let me tell you about Highlawn. It’s filled with friendly people, affordable historic homes, parks and tree-lined streets. It’s convenient to schools and Marshall University, to entertainment and employment. It’s safe, walkable and a very desirable place to live.
The Highlawn Neighborhood Association brings neighbors together to reduce crime, fight litter, plant flowers and host community picnics. We’re partnering with the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District to upgrade two parks. We’re partnering with schools, businesses and churches to help the needy. We’re working on walking paths, public art and recycling. We are, in fact, creating a great neighborhood where people who desire a high quality of life can restore classic homes and be part of a real community.
I fail to understand why it’s so difficult for our public schools to work with the community when private schools seem to excel at it. They raise private money, use existing buildings and land, have increasing enrollment and high college-going rates. We believe that education is a shared responsibility and is of primary concern to our community. It should be a collaborative effort.
For two years, we tried to partner with the board to locate a middle school in Highlawn. We did so because we wanted to help create a school that would be an ideal educational environment for children and an asset to our community.
For two years the board ignored our offers to help and shunned our requests for consideration. From Mr. Smith’s comments, it’s now clear that board members did so because they have a complete disrespect for our community and disregard for the environment in which children, staff, teachers and administrators learn, work and play. That is a sad condition for a public servant.
Highlawn will continue on its path to be a great community again even without Enslow Middle School. I question whether our children will do as well.
Thomas McChesney is a resident of Huntington’s Highlawn neighborhood.
