Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Iranetta Wright recently celebrated her second anniversary with the nearly 36,000-student district. An anniversary gift for her: The district's unions rallied against Wright, holding a motion of no confidence and calling her leadership style controlling and ineffective. There is.
If the union has its way, Mr Wright will miss his third anniversary. But that decision ultimately rests in the hands of the CPS Board of Education.
The rift between the superintendent and district officials has sparked a lively discussion in the community about how we got here and, more importantly, where we go next. . It also has two of the most read opinions this week, one supporting Wright and one criticizing his leadership.
More: Complaints grow against Cincinnati Superintendent Iranetta Wright: 'It's all about her'
Hamilton County Treasurer Charlie Winburn, a former Cincinnati City Councilman and Mount Airy-based commissioner, came to Wright’s defense in an op-ed holding school board members accountable for years of poor performance by the school district. Winburn said the board, teachers and staff can fix the problem by blaming all superintendents for poor student performance.
“It's time to stop playing the blame game, stop hiding behind the failures of past superintendents, and face the hard truth that the responsibility lies with each and every member of the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education,” Winburn wrote. Ta. He said the school board should support Wright and not bow to pressure from the union. You can read his full comments here.
Clifton resident Grenetta Krause, who has taught at CPS since 1993, had a different view of Wright. She said Ms. Krause is disappointed to work for a superintendent and management team that has wasted so much money, time and goodwill.
“Everyone will always have some sort of grievance against their boss, but this administration has crossed a line that makes it difficult to get the job done,” she wrote in a May 10 op-ed.
Krauss said that Wright is not good at communicating with unions and employees, but that “meeting is not the same as listening, understanding, and cooperating.” The historic vote of no confidence by the district's six unions should send a strong message to the school board, she said.
Please tell me what you think the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education should do about this situation by sending me a letter or an editorial. Should the district step down from Ms. Wright after just two years, or do you think she needs more time to implement the district's vision and plans? In terms of student achievement, CPS is in good shape. Do you think it's getting better or worse? What do you think is the best way to resolve the issue in the best interest of CPS students? Read and share your responses I can't wait.
Bengals fans got to watch quarterback Joe Burrow throw a pass for the first time since injuring his right wrist last November during the team's offseason workouts on Monday. But that wasn't the only dart thrown at Peiko Stadium this week.
Last week, a number of readers responded to my column asking for their opinions on the ongoing stadium lease negotiations between the Bengals and Hamilton County. Most of the letters and e-mails I received were critical of the Bengals, this time pleading with county commissioners to “hold on to the store.” Judy West of Loveland said residents are being squeezed by high taxes and “if Bengalis choose to go to other states and other places, we want them to go.”
But this week's most read letter to the editor was written by West End's William Singer, who says members of the “exempt class” are all wrong. Singer said Cincinnati is fortunate to have major league sports teams like the Bengals and Reds. If county officials don't do what's necessary to keep the Bengals in the city, other cities without pro football teams will happily line up to take them.
“Big league sports are highly competitive between cities, and the currency of that competition is stadiums,” Singer wrote. “Expecting teams to pay for their own stadiums and improvements is like expecting money from the Tooth Fairy.”
As negotiations continue, the question remains how much money Hamilton County taxpayers will end up leaving under the Bengals' pillow. You can read Singer's full letter here.
In case you missed it, here are some more of this week's most read opinions.
Op-ed: Open Letter to SCOTUS: Don't Give President Trump a Pass on January 6th.
Editorial: Health insurance mandates on employers are nothing more than a hidden tax increase.
Finally, check out Enquirer editor Beryl Love's column in this week's renewed Sunday print edition. If you're reading this column digitally, it might mean you have no interest in print newspapers, but you can learn more about The Enquirer's priorities and how we bring you the news right now. For those who want to know, this article is a good read. And also in the future.
As always, join the conversation on these and other topics by sending your thoughts to letters@enquirer.com. Letters can be up to 200 words and must include your name, address, region, and daytime phone number. Editorials are submitted similarly, but must be between 500 and 600 words and include a one-sentence bio and a photo. Submissions may be edited for space and clarity.
If you need tips on how to write an op-ed, click here.
Opinion and Engagement Editor Kevin S. Aldridge can be reached at kaldridge@enquirer.com. X, formerly known as Twitter: @kevaldrid.
