|
|
Editorials - 12/19/02String of school sex-related charges is troubling to all |
|
With last week's arrest of Smoky Mountain High School's band director on sex-related charges, a cloud has settled around the county's largest school for the second year in a row.
Teachers and administrators find themselves facing a community whose trust in the school may have eroded in the wake of this latest blow. The situation is troubling from every angle, but it is perhaps most alarming to the overwhelming majority of teachers and administrators who value children and their well-being above all else. Caring educators may find themselves thinking twice before attempting to reach out to help a troubled student, worried that their genuine concern may be misconstrued. And superintendents and school boards find themselves faced with a dilemma as they read applications and conduct interviews: How do they select the individuals who can relate to kids, talk to kids and care about kids while at the same time ensuring they screen out those who would seek close contact with children only to take advantage of them? On the other hand, it's a relief to know that local school and law enforcement officials vigorously pursue those suspected of improper conduct. In the end it may be these efforts that send the clearest message that Jackson County values its children and will not tolerate those who would do them harm.
After 10 years, King to leave TWSAWhen officials from the towns of Sylva, Dillsboro and Webster and Jackson County created the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority 10 years ago, they did so out of a common vision for the county's future.Jerry King has been at TWSA's helm during its entire existence, and he has been a man with a plan. Through King's guidance, TWSA developed plans and strategies and stuck to them. Under King's leadership, TWSA has provided services in a fiscally-sound manner. The authority's initial budget was $1.2 million; it's now more than twice that. Where TWSA once billed 900 customers, it now bills almost three times that many. We have not always agreed with King and the authority, but we cannot deny their accomplishments. These include construction of a water treatment facility as well as upgrades to water and sewer lines throughout the county and consolidation of TWSA's entire operation into the former Nantahala building. King, who will retire next week, provided the stability and expertise needed to get the fledgling authority off the ground, and we appreciate his efforts. |
Back to Archive: 12/19/02. |