Dear Editor:
Many learned historians will assert that the only way to move on with the future is to learn from the mistakes of the past. Six years ago the Jersey City Board of Education under pressure from local sources and with secret meetings held in the night brought in an outsider to serve as Superintendent of Schools in Jersey City. This person originated from a failing school district that she was responsible for and this information is in the record when the school board appointed her. At that time Assistant Superintendent of School Franklin Walker could have packed his bags and departed from the school system. This gallant man held steadfast as his love is and has been for many decades for the 33,000 school children and the 6,000 staff within the Jersey City Public Schools.
This writer has presented at the last two Board of Education meetings the views of the community at large that we do not and certainly should not waste time and precious funds conducting a nationwide search for a schools superintendent when we have a dedicated, professional, caring superintendent in the very person of Franklin Walker.
As a lifelong resident of Jersey City for seventy years plus and a proud product of the Jersey City Public Schools, we urge the current Board of Education to appoint the honorable Franklin Walker as superintendent. Let us not repeat the horrors committed six years ago, let us be honest and sincere for our school children, teachers and all staff in our schools and lead with Mr. Walker.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert B. Knapp
