April 12, 2005 > Connie White should stay

No parent who has had a child schooling in an institution where Connie White was Principal can understand removing her from this position.

Our child attended Warwick while she was principal and was looking forward to the same at American High this coming year. She is caring, dedicated and has total focus on student well-being and academic achievement.

We don't know what reason the board has for considering this action, but if it's for her support, reflecting the students and parents of American High, for continuing to hold graduation ceremonies at the location where the students had just spent four years of their lives, that would be totally unfair. If you guys make an unpopular decision to consolidate the location to some foreign sounding sterile place for budget considerations that's one thing. But if American High chooses not to participate and is willing to fund the ceremony where their students have their roots and memories (and for most is the neighborhood school), then you should applaud the fact that they care. Your budget is not impacted, and the only reason we can imagine for this transfer of the principal would, sadly, be pure spite, and totally beneath the voter's expectations of their elected board.

Ken and Jennifer Erickson
Fremont