Letter: Why punish a principal for having safest school?

Tuesday, May 20, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

As a parent whose children attend the Clark County School District, it is good to know that there are still administrators and educators who care and take responsibility for our children's safety while in their care each school day.

How is it possible that they demeaned Dr. Steven Weiner, suspended him and told him that there was not any discipline in his school? Yet, the Clark County School District's report, rates Knudson Middle School as the safest school during his tenure.

As a taxpaying citizen and a fighter for children's educational rights and needs, I know that during Weiner's tenure, he was a "tough, no-nonsense" administrator. Perhaps his problem was that "he did not kiss up to the higher powers." I am not going to say that he was the easiest person to get along with, but parents knew that their children were safe in his school and in a good learning environment.

I have heard from school district employee friends that the driving force behind Knudson's investigation was Area Superintendent Stephen McCoy, who by the way, was the supervisor to the Garside Middle School administration and rated as the most unsafe school (per the article). What does McCoy know about Knudson?

I further understand that Mrs. Billy Rayford, who was Weiner's boss for the past six years, had been completely shut out of this investigation.

It's nice to know that there are still some educators who have human qualities, especially for our children's welfare.

Obviously, I don't know all the facts. I wonder what the principal whose school was rated the most unsafe has endured.

Susan Kinkead