Tonight Dothan School Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe left a letter being critical of Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Let me begin by saying that I like Dr. Dennis Coe and I like Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Coe called Childers a bully and stated that he “created ongoing issues and misbehaving”. Coe went on to claim Childers “created a hostile environment and lacked professionalism”. Coe urged voters to”to select school board members dedicated to public education who don’t have personal, political, or racial agendas when they go to the polls to vote in August”.
Coe has retired effective June 30th.
WELL … I am going to disagree with Dr. Dennis Coe. Scott Childers retired from the Dothan City Schools as a Principal. We have a mutual friend who is a very successful businessman who said he learned more under Scott Childers than any other teacher he had in the 12 years of the Dothan School system. Scott Childers, in addition to his teaching career, is a very successful businessman in Dothan himself.
While I respect Dr. Coe, as an elected public servant, which Scott Childers is, as Superintendent you are not superior. You are employed by the school system, but as Chairman of the Board you are employed by the majority of qualified voters who pay for the system. As Chairman, I would demand to be informed and never blindsided. And when I was, there would not be any second chance for those employed who did not keep me informed.
Just with the job description of the School Superintendent; who drafted the job description and who placed it on the agenda of the School Board? Because either you, Dr. Coe and every member of the Dothan School Board denied having a part in the job description at an open meeting. Someone lied. And it passed in the usual 4 to 3 vote that the job announcement required a doctorate.
The Chairman of the Board and the Superintendent, in concert with each other, is to set the board agenda.
The problem with government, and I hear it at the City of Dothan, those employed think they run the entire show and how dare the elected public servants as them a question. It is the elected public servants who are answerable to the voters. Those employed have contracts with huge buy outs and educators have all types of protection so nothing can be done with them. If I am elected and responsible to the people, I AM GOING TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON or all hell will break out and we will be in full war.
And it appears that has been going on in the Dothan City Schools. So therefore it will make a hostile work enviornment. Because as someone elected there is no protection and under contract the person gets a hefty payout.
The so called censure from the State. The public might be fooled but isn’t it amazing that D3 School Board Member Melanie Hill had the letter and knowledge of it before Chairman Scoot Childers? While I supported you being appointed, let’s not forget you worked for the State of Alabama Department of Education before returning to Dothan. You were the “elected” School Superintendent in Henry County before going to Montgomery and then Dothan. So all types of connections in Montgomery. And top level educators take care of top level educators.
I call your hand on that letter and Melanie Hill having it and reading in the board meeting while Childers did not even have it. I AM NOT STUPID.
There is a 4 to 3 vote in every meeting. And while I have known Melanie Hill for many years, she felt she is not answerable to the voters. I personally experienced her rude and obnoxious behavior at a school board meeting. She felt she was above being answerable to the people who elected her as a public servant.
Dr. Coe, you have retired and time to go fishing. You will receive a pension from the Educators Retirement the rest of your life. Go fishing. But calling Childers a bully when he was not kept informed and things behind his back. I would not have tolerated that at all. As a person directly responsible to the voters you would be calling me much worse.
TO THOSE EMPLOYED IN GOVERNMENT, the people elected are responsible to the voters. And if I was one of them, I would ask questions and demand honest answers.
The School System is one that educators have created that only functions for educators. The school system needs business people and not educators running the ship. The number two person could be a good educator. It is a big business. And just because you can teach a subject does not mean you can run and manage a huge business.
In closing, it is time for those employed to understand who is responsible to the ones paying the bills, the voters!!!
