One More Question…..
“Dr. Merrow, I have just one more question for you. We’re pretty conservative here, pretty slow to change. If we hire you to be our School Superintendent, what’s the biggest change you would want to make in our schools?”
“That’s a great question, sir,” I replied, my brain whirling and spinning and searching for a suitable answer.
His question feels as fresh today as it did in 1973 when I was living on Nantucket, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. I had just received my doctorate from Harvard, I was unemployed, the schools were looking for a superintendent, and the minister at our church happened to be on the school board. Thus I was asked to apply, which culminated in that great question….which proved to be my downfall.
I settled on an answer, which went something like this. “I strongly believe that reading competently with understanding is the foundation of almost all learning. Therefore, I would institute a clear policy: no one advances to fourth grade until everyone can read.”
To my surprise my questioner, an elderly white gentleman, expressed his support. “That’s not radical, Dr. Merrow. That’s just common sense.” He paused. “After all, nobody should be promoted to fourth grade until he can read.
“With all respect, sir, that’s not what I said. Under this policy, NOBODY goes to fourth grade until EVERYONE can read. Your neighbor’s son isn’t promoted until YOUR daughter is reading, or vice-versa.”
I still remember the stunned looks on the faces of the School Board members. As I recall, I qualified my position with some loopholes for children with disabling conditions, but that didn’t matter. The interview was essentially over, and I wasn’t asked back for the second round of interviews.
So, 47 years later and in the midst of a pandemic, how would I answer that question?
Actually, I would ask for even bigger changes, starting with these eight: CONTINUE READING: One More Question….. | The Merrow Report
