Allentown School System tabled naming the new elementary school after General Hays, a nurse who became the first woman general in the army. An incredibly accomplished person, Hays would have been the first woman an Allentown School is named after. Hays had served in WW2, Korea and Vietnam. However Hays, who graduated Allentown High in 1938, had a defect, she was white.
The local black leaders want someone who reflects the current diversity of the system. Rev. Gregory Edwards and Phyllis Alexander both wrote the school board complaining about Hays.
Perhaps they should name the school after Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. She instructed the police force not to arrest for minor infractions, like theft and prostitution, during the virus crisis. Large groups of young people were running amok in center city Philadelphia, scooping up everything their backpacks could hold. Meanwhile at City Hall, woke mayor Jim Kenney stayed silent about this decline in civilization. Only this weekend, after a merchant and citizen backlash, did Outlaw and Kenney finally reverse policy.
Philadelphia inner city kids were taught a bad lesson by their police commissioner and mayor. Likewise, Allentown students are being neglected, not by a lack of computers, but of leadership by the school board. They had done well in choosing Hays, and should stick to their decision. Character and accomplishment should be more important than complexion.
photo of Hays being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by Westmoreland in 1971
UPDATE AUGUST 27, 2021: The new school did end up being named after General Hays. However, the school board again has a major challenge, hiring a new superintendent. The previous one was hired because of his color, and only used the position as a stepping stone to a bigger district. Last time the board was obsessed that the new superintendent had to reflect the minority majority status of the district students, as opposed to competence being the yardstick. The three finalists this time have to submit a youtube interview. Let's hope that video production technique, or background music, isn't the new yardstick.
Political correctness has replaced competency in government, education and even in the leadership of the military. Mediocrity will be the intended result.
ReplyDeleteJudging by past performance we can expect this board to make the worst possible choice after engaging a thoroughly wrong headed search.
ReplyDeletePhyllis Alexander was one of The Diversity All-Stars in the old Dadonna Administrations .Nobody took Her seriously back then
ReplyDeleteLast time, I asked board members to not make the mistake of looking across the nation for a new superintendent; that we had people right here that have served ASD their whole lives. Allentown should not be used as a jobs program for the national democratic party.
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