Re: The Henrico Debate
Mr. Russo,
My name is GayDonna Vandergriff of the Brookland District. I recently read your coverage of the Henrico debates, including my own efforts. As I read your comments, the point hit home that bravery is not required to criticize in written form from the back of the room. Bravery lies in stepping forward and taking shots from any and all, including you. Perhaps I will see you at the front of the room one day.
I hope Mr. Matt Martin is proud of his own step to the front of the room. He did a fine job representing your party and its concerns.
Mrs. Vandergriff
Thank you for writing. I should say I don't intentionally go after people unless it is to show them a mirror of some injustice they are responsible for. As a student I endured 12+ years of disciplinarians like yourself (many of them with long unpronounceable names, not unlike VCDL's appointed nemesis, candidate Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis), and am lucky to be alive. So the best response I can give you is it must take bravery to dish out domination and repression from the front of a classroom, knowing many of your students despise you. Given the length of your career there must be thousands. I know you've spent your life thinking there is no reprimand for hurting people who have no voice, until the day you yourself have a boss who was once a student (or in this case a majority of voters). You invited this the day you chose your profession.
As a mere writer I have never subjected my will on other people, so considering how many notches you've accumulated on that stick you can imagine my humor and horror at your civilized words, as if anything I could say compares with what you have done. I can see the faces of my brethren in your eyes. Maybe you know what I am referring to and maybe you don't.
Here's a question about your "efforts" at the podium. When you talk about SOLs, performance gaps and accreditation what are your actual goals? To increase learning? To promote equality among students? To better their individual chances? If so, why don't you actually do these things and let a school's appearance speak for itself? Not everyone is impressed by hypothetical merits and stickers. I'd encourage you to read this week's article on the Richmond School Board. Yes you will see me running, in your district perhaps.
For our readers, Linda McBride of Brookland District beat GayDonna Vandergriff by 4%, the only incumbent on the school board to keep her seat. Lisa Marshall of Tuckahoe whom I rated favorably won as well. The other winners seemed to be those with the most seasoning. Full election results are at www.henricocitizen.com.