To the editor:
The purpose of this letter is to expose the actions of the current Elizabethton City School Director, whose efforts many believe to be detrimental to the school system and community.
The premature dismissal (prior to the release of the Comptroller’s report) of the two co-athletic directors (both model gentlemen) highlight the inequity demonstrated by this director. Please ask those who have interacted with the two co-athletic directors what they think character-wise of the two.
The school director’s further handling of other personnel concerns makes it clear that there has been a lack of judgment on his part. His promotion of his former technology director, demotion of the assistant director, blaming the finance director for his mistakes and the mess that has been made of the athletic department at Elizabethton High School are some of the bad moves that he is responsible for.
Many will remember the manner in which the school director handled the forced resignation of the girls’ basketball coach, which denied the team a possible second state championship.
The further mistreatment of the finance director, the assistant director, and the individual who was training to replace the co-athletic directors are just symptomatic of what is occurring. Many employees (especially some teachers) are frustrated and discouraged by the recent administrative actions.
When they read that the system’s test score rating is a 1 out of 5 (something that has not been reported in the local media), they are concerned about the direction of the system. The director appears to be preoccupied with the promotion of the Bartleby Program at Elizabethton High. That program seems to have taken precedence over any focus in the entire system.
The contentious called board meeting on Sept. 5 was video recorded and many in the community were later upset to learn (when they tried to replay it) that the audio portion had been omitted. One cannot help but think the omission was deliberate.
We, in the community, have seen this type of leadership. It took years to dig out of that circumstance. Finally, please ask those who have interacted with this director what they think of his character.

Charles Peters
Elizabethton