Pubdate: Sat, 14 Feb 2004
Source: Huntsville Times (AL)
Copyright: 2004 The Huntsville Times
Contact:  http://www.htimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/730

LEE HIGH'S HEADACHE

The School Must Now Recover From The Shock Of Its Principal's Arrest

Huntsville's Lee High School is in shock. Its principal, charged
Thursday with possessing crack cocaine, resigned by phone while in
police custody. On Friday, education took a back seat to concern and
uncertainty for administrators, teachers and students there.

Harry Smith, 49, formerly of Muscle Shoals, was brought in by
Superintendent Ann Roy Moore to take the top job at Lee in 2002. His
tenure had sparked occasional controversy, like the months-long battle
with the parents of special-education students over changes Smith was
backing in Lee's previously highly regarded program. A conflict over
compulsory Saturday School attendance also flared up.

But all principals face controversy. Relatively few, thank goodness,
are charged with possessing several rocks of crack.

Smith is due his day in court. He's innocent until proven guilty. No
one should rush to judgment.

That being said, the situation should cause leaders of public school
systems to re-examine the way they check backgrounds and continually
evaluate the highest and the mightiest among them.

Various school systems in the state have been trying to stanch the
drug problem by testing specific groups of students - those who
participate in athletics or extra-curricular activities or those who
drive vehicles to school, for example. This incident shows that it's
folly to exempt teachers and administrators from such testing if any
testing is imposed.

Right now, the immediate problem is the understandably low morale
among teachers and confusion among students at Lee. And there's the
stigma many will feel because of what's transpired.

Administrators, teachers and students have a long weekend to regroup.
Come Tuesday, after the President's Day holiday, strong and inspiring
leadership, student maturity and a refocusing on educational purpose
are what Lee needs most.

While the law takes its course, Moore and her staff, the school board
and anyone who cares about Lee High School must realize they have a
school suffering a world of hurt right now - and those who can must
step forward to try to ease the pain.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin