Faded Hopes, Forgotten Dreams

Both April Griffin and Susan Valdes enjoy being labeled as Hillsborough County School Board mavericks. I suppose they find some sense of honor and sisterhood in constantly opposing and questioning their more highly educated and experienced peers. After all, with their minimal skill-sets and corresponding abilities, they must suffer inferiority complexes the size of black holes when engaged with district staff or other board members.

The trouble with our mavericks is: They cannot accomplish a thing since they have no record of success, either within education or in their employment history. Anything they suggest is met with, “And your basis for expertise is?” I would think a high school graduate, like either Valdes or Griffin, proposing curriculum reform to a district staffer with a Doctorate in Education a taxing experience.

But now the bad news.

Two summers ago, when engaged in a well-documented team building workshop with other board members, Griffin fled the room in outrage when confronted with her lack of participation. That act alone certainly cemented her relationship with other board members.

This summer, when confronted with her “excessive” and “robust” travel expenses to the tune of $50,000, Valdes called that public scrutiny a “setup by other elected officials,” and then announced she could no longer trust anyone within the district.

I have no doubt that when both were first elected, Griffin and her side-kick Valdes had great illusions of making contributions to the district and making changes to district policy.

Valdes and Griffin must now have, as John Denver once sang, “faded hopes, forgotten dreams.” The two “Mavericks of Mediocrity” are left to their own self-righteous pomp while gaining zero circumstance.

What a shame for the students, parents and communities they represent.

posted by admin @ 7:25 PM