Statement from Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Timothy Smith:
I would like to provide some clarifications and updates regarding an article appearing in the September 16, 2022 on-line edition of the Pensacola News Journal and republished in the Sunday, September 18, 2022 print edition.
The article provided an accounting of a concern raised by a middle school parent around a passage contained in a test given to middle school and high school students to gauge their understanding of the information contained in the Escambia County Public Schools Rules and Responsibilities Handbook. The test was intended to reinforce our focus on ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment for all of our students.
After the issue was brought to my attention and listening directly to the concerns of parents who brought this issue forward, I‘ve made the decision to order the test be discontinued from future use.
Our school district has over 5,800 employees. By necessity, independent decisions must be made by employees at various levels of the organization. I believe our employees care deeply about the well-being and education of our students. That said, when unsatisfactory decisions are made, it is my responsibility to gather the facts and take corrective measures to prevent re-occurrences of the problem.
In order to become the school system we envision, we must build a culture of continuous improvement, learn from our missteps and always find ways to do things better. This situation revealed a need for us to review and evaluate approval processes that were used in this instance, and to make changes to ensure any materials distributed to our students are age appropriate. I am asking our executive leadership team to evaluate the decision-making protocols used in this case and to make recommendations for improvement.
I have asked for this report to be on my desk by October 28th. After reviewing the report, I will present recommendations to the board during the November work sessions.