To the Editor:

Over the past few weeks the public was invited to take part in a focus group to bring up any questions or concerns we might have about who will be the new Superintendent of Newtown Public Schools. This was a time for the public to directly express to the person in charge of the search committee what the new Superintendent should be aware of when it comes to the culture, history and needs of students in Newtown.

As a current resident of Newtown, I am very concerned with the way the school district is conducting the hiring process for the new superintendent. First of all, just like the hiring of the past three superintendents, the current members of the board are the only ones who will be a part of the interviewing process. While this might not seem like such a big deal, it ought to raise red flags among those who have paid attention since the new board members were sworn in.

Of the current members of the board, three of them have never served in public office before. Of these three, only one has any experience working as an educator. This means that nearly 1/3 of our board has zero experience in the schools beyond volunteering in the PTA. Do we want to put the future of our schools into the hands of inexperienced people who are still learning the ins and outs of what it means to serve on the board?

Secondly, this board is a biased board. Anyone who has attended any of the public meetings can see this in the ways that they vote and have discussions. A biased board will be unable to make an unbiased decision by themselves. There needs to be a system of checks and balances to ensure the needs of our students and staff are highlighted rather than emphasizing political talking points.

One might argue that the current board is doing the right thing by hiring an outside consultant to help gather candidates for interviews; however, no one is holding this board accountable. This means they can listen to the advice of an outside consultant, but still interview and hire whichever candidate they choose.

I believe many members of the public have no faith that the current board will act with the community’s best interest in mind. This means whoever is hired will immediately be looked at with suspicion. The BOE should add members of the community to the hiring process, asking people who have worked with our students and teachers and know what it takes to be in the trenches to be a part of the interview process.

After all, don’t we want what is best for our children?

Carrie Grummons

Newtown