Page 20
The INDEPENDENT, June 6, 2012
Letters
From page 13
support and hope to see you
next year. Questions: Please
email me at nvsbcarclub@
gmail.com.
Glenda DeLemos
NVSB Car Club
Vernonia
We must speak up to
make schools better
To the Editor:
It is amazing to me the
amount of parents that sit qui-
etly because they are afraid of
being ostracized. I am guilty as
Memorial Day services at the
Vernonia Memorial Cemetery
were, as usual, well attended
and included a 21-gun salute
along with speeches and
singing.
Mariolino’s
Try our Barbecue Ribs
Lunch Special
721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018
Open Daily
11 a.m.
Great Food
Biker Friendly
June 9 th Texas Hold ‘em
June 15 th Country Back Roads
June 23 rd Third Member
All Bands & Karaoke start at 9 P.M.
Happy Hour: Mon - Fri 4 pm - 7 pm
Ladies Night: Wed. 5 pm - Midnight
Open until midnight Sun-Thu & until 2:30 a.m. Fri, Sat.
733 Bridge St., Vernonia
well. It is sad we live in a com-
munity that chases out its
members because of issues at
the school with staff. So many
families move out of town,
choose to send their children to
Jewell, Banks, Mist, do online
or home school. Do you really
503-429-9999
think that this shiny, new school
is going to bring people to our
town? I think you will be sorely
disappointed if you do. I am not
saying what hasn’t already
been said by so many of our
citizens. I am just saying it a lit-
tle louder because no one is
listening. The damaging words
and complaints are so powerful
that it doesn’t matter how pret-
ty the school is. Wake up! Peo-
ple are leaving and their words
are being taken with them to
spread to the outside world. No
one is going to move here if
things don’t change. If you
want to blame me because you
are a staff member that got in
trouble, then fine, blame me.
I’m guilty for sticking up for the
very children that will some day
make up this community. Do
my complaints mean I hate the
school? Absolutely not. I was a
student at the school, played
many sports, belonged to many
clubs, came back to volunteer
and was employed as a coach
after graduating and currently
drive a school bus. Am I saying
that all the staff is horrible? Ab-
solutely not. I’ve had the oppor-
tunity to work with some bril-
liant, loving staff members. But
on the flip side, there have
been some horrible ones that
have left us doing damage con-
trol. I know this is a mutual feel-
ing of many K-12 parents. Am I
perfect? Nope. Do I make mis-
takes? I wouldn’t be human if I
didn’t. But the staff members
that are making the same mis-
takes over and over are not be-
ing held accountable and it’s
affecting our children. If you
choose to live in the “every-
thing is perfect” world, then you
really aren’t seeing the whole
picture. There are real issues
here people. I know it’s every-
where, but why do we choose
to allow it to continue? We’re
not just raising kids, but hus-
bands, wives, fathers and
mothers. If people choose to
beat them down at a young
age, what is that doing for their
future? I don’t gripe about my
situation to upset anyone. I do
it because I’m not the only one
griping. It’s time that the staff
hears what we are saying and
stop sweeping the issues un-
der the rug. I have worked with
them for 5 years. I’ve sat in on
countless meetings, not open-
ing my mouth the way I should
have. Why? I didn’t want to hurt
anyone’s feelings. How many
parents are doing the same?
How many children are suffer-
ing, feeling worthless, being set
up to fail? Who is responsible?
I am 100% responsible. And if I
don’t hold the others that work
with my child 100% responsi-
ble, how am I being responsi-
ble? I hope that this letter
shows others who remain quiet
that it is ok to come forward.
We’ve gone to the teachers
and principals and now it’s time
to go higher. If you don’t, my
words mean nothing. Please
speak up for our kids and their
future. Document your issues,
frustrations, suggestions, why
you moved away, why you
pulled your kid and send your
emails and letters to the district
superintendent (ken.cox@ver-
nonia.k12.or.us) (Dr. Kenneth
Cox, 475 Bridge Street, Ver-
nonia, OR 97064) so some-
thing can be done. If he doesn’t
listen, we go higher. Do we
have what it takes to be one of
the best districts? Absolutely!
With a little more compassion,
communication and consisten-
cy we can bring people to our
town. But if nothing changes,
nothing changes.
Thank you for your help!
Amy Barton
Vernonia