Category Archives: Xenia Community Schools

Dear Mayor Penewitt About Your Role in Education

I understand there is a concerted effort at multiple levels to involve your office in the governance of our public schools, and the US Conference of Mayors seems to be leading the charge. As representative of all Xenia residents, I hope you will be an innovator in this role rather than a follower of narrow sources and ideas. I hope you look beyond both the educational and political sources informing your role and decisions about local education. Professional educators know what is best for themselves and students within the limits of their respective fields, but they do not know what is best for us, the varied groups of people making up this community. The same can be said of professional organizations that represent the narrow interests of their educational or political members.

In other words, I trust you will seek out other sources so that your decisions and involvement are based on the whole spectrum of possibilities—pro, con, and the not yet considered.

I also trust you will treat your local constituents as self-governing shareholders by seeking input on the important issues beyond taxation. I think you will find allowing the citizens you represent to actually share in the ownership of such important decisions will create a better community, if not make your job a little easier in the long run.