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from Jeff T. Hoover

By Staff | May 16, 2012

Dear Editor and fellow Tyler Countians;

I have received so many phone calls in the past week and a half that I feel compelled to respond en mass.

One of the things that brought me to Tyler County, and ultimately kept me here, is the quality of the school system. Having previously had the opportunity to work in one of the largest county school districts in the state, it was a breath of fresh air to come to a place where everything seemed to be so transparent. None of the cloak and dagger politics of larger counties was present here in Tyler County. It was my good fortune to work with a very professional superintendent and many quality board of education members. I know of none that resisted change if legitimate and in the best interest of the children and staff. One of my fondest professional hopes is that most feel the same of me.

My message to all parents of school-aged children and the current school system employees that call me with concerns is simple. Obviously, I am no longer a decision-maker; but you are. Just because you are a young parent or young employee of the school system, doesn’t mean you have no say in how things are done. If you’re a seasoned veteran, you need to step up to the plate. Your superintendent and board of education are eager to hear your thoughts on how to make things better. If you determine some to be unjustly resistant, than there are democratic processes to eliminate those very roadblocks that don’t share the values of the mass public.

My experience coming up through the rank and file of the school system taught me a valuable lesson in humility. That is that no one is above the law. Many parents and senior employees, including myself, were never shy in voicing their objections about what they thought was wrong. The more wrong they perceived it to be the louder and longer their voices would resonate.

Our founding fathers suggested that it was not only your right as a citizen to rebel against perceived wrongs, it was your responsibility to do so. I still have the bruises to prove democracy was alive and well in Tyler County when I was relevant. Those old war-horse watchdogs may have retired and became grandparents, but the same ideal should still be alive and well. If you have a complaint, stand up and be counted. If not, you deserve what you get. Political institutions stagnate only if left unchecked by apathy. I hope you love your school system as much as I do and therefore start getting involved. If not, I suggest you stop complaining and move on. I’m going back to Florida to build a dock.

With the utmost respect,

Jeff T. Hoover

Middlebourne