Comments by board member and superintendent of schools show a lack of leadership

The comments of (Marl-boro) Superintendent of Schools David Abbott and school board member Murray Hoffman in the Jan. 21 News Transcript explaining why they were looking for land to build a new school only two years after two new school buildings were complete were disgraceful and showed a total lack of leadership.

Mr. Hoffman and Dr. Abbott were quoted as saying that "one factor behind the need for additional space is the fact that Marlboro has attracted a large number of families with children who need special services..." and that "the relatively large amount of space needed by special education students has placed pressure on the district."

These comments are pathetic. These men need to take responsibility for their decisions.

How about, "We misjudged the number of new students moving into the school system this year. Given the recent influx of students, we are revising our estimates of future student body growth and believe we should anticipate the possibility of building one or two additional school buildings in the next three to five years. We believe that our special education teachers, facilities and services are some of the best in the state and are attracting more special services students than we had anticipated. We expect this trend to continue into the future and need to anticipate this growing need as we plan for the future."

Dr. Abbott whines in public about state-mandated guidelines for providing services to children who need extra help and suggests that he is morally superior to some of his counterparts because he tries to honor "the spirit of the law" even if he doesn’t "always go to the letter of the law."

Nowhere does he mention that the school district received significant supplemental funding because of the number of special services students the school district provides services for.

Before the Marlboro Early Learning Center was completed, many of the special services classes were taught for years in trailers, and one class in a converted gym locker room. Fortunately for the school district and the students, the teachers in this area are, and have been, top-notch, even in less than ideal conditions. Leaders recognize that people are their greatest resource.

If this regime is going to continue to oversee the evolution of the school district it needs to accept responsibility for its action, re-evaluate the process that resulted in bad decisions (the new Marlboro Early Learning Center needing an addition after two years), focus its efforts on hiring and keeping the best teachers ... and try not to blame successful programs that provide excellent services for students who need them for their failures in planning and in judgment.

Dave and

Mary C. Gilfillan

Marlboro