Activist isn’t solving problems

When I first applied for this position at the Wharton Journal-Spectator and East Bernard Express, I was informed that the Wharton Independent School District has a lot of problems.

In the short time I’ve been here one of the consistent comments I’ve heard is that the district is a hot mess. I don’t know a school district that doesn’t have its share of problems but one of the biggest ones WISD appears to suffer from is its reputation and a lack of confidence from the community.

From players assaulting a coach to teachers being arrested on drug charges to low test scores and the looming possibility of a state takeover, those that are trying to make a positive difference are getting overlooked. There is a lot of good going on in the district and there are a lot of dedicated people investing much of themselves into the children of this community.

Solving problems takes hard work, commitment, and dedication. It means shutting out the noise and focusing on the solutions. Sometimes that takes time and results are not immediately apparent.

Unfortunately, there is a new noisemaker in town who seem more interested in stirring things up rather than solving problems. Houston activist Gerry Monroe came before the WISD Board of Trustees at their last meeting, acting angry and tough, and made veiled threats to overthrow the administration of Dr. Michael O’Guin, threats he has expounded upon in social media rants.

While I can appreciate someone trying to make things better in the school district, Monroe is the wrong person and he is using the wrong methods.

First of all, he is an outsider with no vested interest in the community other than trying to add another feather in his cap of school superintendents he claims to have help oust from their jobs. He claims his actions have cost school districts about $75 million.

I searched him online, by the way, and saw no evidence to back his claims other than winning $300,000 for attorney fees from Houston ISD. And if what he said is true, it means $75 million of taxpayer money left school coffers for the sake of his meddling. It also implies that he goes around running roughshod over school districts without trying to work with them to solve problems. I’d like to know if any of these school districts he has supposedly helped are better off today.

Secondly, solving problems requires addressing the issues in a civil manner. If discipline in the schools is one of the problems, then Monroe is setting an incredibly poor example. You can’t bully your way to civility.

Thirdly, not only is he an outsider, but he lacks credentials to do anything authoritative. He’s not an attorney, he doesn’t have a college degree, and as near as I can tell he doesn’t have any licensure or experience in fields of education or law. In my book, those things define credibility.

Finally, I find his methods deplorable. It’s a lot of theatrics and fiery rhetoric. It doesn’t get to the heart of the issue and he doesn’t seem to be genuinely concerned about making things better in the Wharton ISD. If he were, he would be acting in a spirit of cooperation, using kindness, and working with groups and committees to address and solve the various problems. His approach is to make a lot of noise and try to wreck the careers of dedicated, caring professionals.

So, that begs the question of why did I give him front page publicity if this is the way I feel about it. Trust me, I debated long and hard whether or not he deserved any ink. Ultimately, I did so because it was news. His gangbuster approach at the meeting is what most people there would be talking about and I wanted to make sure the facts were presented accurately before the rumor mill ran amok. I do intend to write more about what else happened in the meeting, I just need more time.

Like I said earlier, there are a lot of good things going on in Wharton ISD. From what I can see, the district is working methodically to make positive changes. It can be difficult to tout those successes when you have naysayers loudly pointing out problems and not offering solutions.

I should note that part of the solution belongs with every parent with a child in the school district. If discipline is a problem, the answer rests in the home, not the schools. Children need to be taught by their parents how to be kind and respectful. If that’s not happening at home you can’t expect it to happen at school or anywhere else.

(Joe Southern is the managing editor of the Wharton Journal-Spectator and East Bernard Express. He can be reached at news@journal-spectator.com.)