The Highlands County School Board is on to a great idea. They want to "workshop" the possibility of changing the way we hire school superintendents in our district. We like the idea of considering whether the board appoints school superintendents or whether they are elected. As most folks know, in Highlands County we elect our school superintendent. It's done that way in some smaller districts around the state, but the majority of districts hire superintendents. For many people moving here from other areas, it seems strange that the school superintendent is an elected office. No special education is necessary to land this important post, and no experience is necessary. If you get enough people to vote for you, and have the money to run for office, you have as good of a chance as someone who has spent his or her entire life administering and teaching. Having someone unqualified in that position is scary to a lot of people. ...more

September 16, 2007