I am moved to write this letter as I am deeply concerned for our public school superintendent as they face insurmountable scrutiny and ad-hominem assaults from those who have a limited scope on the precious work they have undertaken and the critical role they play in the success of education for all students.

As a retired high school principal, I can attest that the superintendent was critical in setting the direction and staying the course when it came to the emotional stability and academic success of a district. As in business, educational initiatives take three to five years to fully implement with fidelity and effect. A 2023 Yale University Broad Center analysis noted that the average public school superintendent tenure is 3.76 years — with female superintendents leaving the position a full fifteen months earlier than their male peers. This constant churn in the superintendent’s office paralyzes a district’s ability to address the needs of the students and families they serve. While businesses may have several quarters to turn the issue around, children only have one school experience and no time to waste.

Superintendents must navigate a very public arena for decision-making, increasingly faced with raucous calls to action favoring a minority to the potential detriment of the majority. Nationally, we only need to look at organizations such as Moms for Liberty, Moms for America, or Parents Defending Education as evidence of this trend.

It is a rare individual whose moral compass can remain fixed on equanimity when it would be far easier to cave to the cacophony of the perceived “status quo.” Further complicating matters are the countless state and national legal limitations that prevent the full disclosure behind decisions in the superintendent’s office. If allowed a peek behind the scenes, I am certain that the community would appreciate the depth of commitment and passion Superintendent Amy Huntley has for our children. Given all that she faces daily, it would be the only reason she remains in the job.

Dr. TERRI WATTAWA

Mount Vernon

Frequent peninsula visitor