School Board Member Targets Teacher

(Cole County, MO) Using the school system logo and without approval, board member Sarah Renick sent an evaluation form to 90 district patrons asking probing questions about a specific math teacher.

The Cole County R-5, Eugene, School Board will not review a teacher evaluation survey recently sent to district patrons by one board member, the board said Thursday night.

The board made its announcement following a meeting that included comments from several district patrons, superintendent Mark Blythe said.

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The survey reportedly sought to gain input on parents' perceptions of the teacher's lesson planning and preparedness, among other things, Blythe said. However, Blythe said he and members of the school board were not told the survey was being distributed.

This story is so typical. With regularity, local school boards seem to always have at least one eccentric member that feuds with the world in general and a few individuals in particular. In this case, board member Sarah Renick wanted to put the stink of suspicion on one teacher and succeeded.