Letter: By firing teacher, principal sent the wrong message

Friday, Feb. 25, 2005 | 9:06 a.m.

Richard Conner, in his Feb. 9 letter, was entirely correct when he called for the firing of Principal Gerald Velasquez over his termination of the long-term substitute teacher who was the subject of a hurtful and possibly dangerous cartoon.

Rather than support the teacher for doing what protocol suggests, Velasquez made a truly boneheaded decision, one without thought to the real message being sent, and fired the teacher just because she brought media attention to the school. Yes, he sent a strong message to his faculty about attracting the spotlight, but what message do you think the principal's actions sent to the already raucous class and the entire student body? This is irresponsible leadership.

It's time our School Board members woke up and did the job they were elected to do. Why is there no system of accountability here for the school administration? Why was this class being taught by a series of substitute teachers? Are there no licensed biology teachers in all of Las Vegas? Each year we read about representatives of our school district traveling around the country to find the best teachers available. Yet no one could find a qualified biology teacher?

It's time for the community to wake up and take a good hard look at its School Board. It should demand that the board require greater accountability from the district's administrators. How do you reward a superintendent with a raise in the face of mediocre school performance and not start asking questions or looking for some real accountability?

MICHAEL OLLINS