Talks about state tests get heated at Dalton BOE meeting

Published 11:13 pm Tuesday, June 14, 2016

It was a seemingly simple question to Dalton Public Schools Superintendent Jim Hawkins about why he thinks students are underperforming on standardized tests.

“Because the students didn’t mark the right answers on the state test,” Hawkins replied to Phil Neff.

The exchange happened during the public comment section of the Dalton Board of Education’s meeting Monday night.

Neff then asked Hawkins if that is the students’ fault.

“No, it’s the test and they didn’t mark the right answers of what the state was looking for,” Hawkins answered.

“So are we supposed to teach’em what the right answer is?” Neff asked.

“We have a lot of work to do, we’ve been focusing on the students and their needs, we also have to focus on the standards, we have new standards and that’s what we’re working on,” Hawkins said.

“Who creates the standards, sir?” Neff asked.

“The state,” Hawkins replied.

“The state,” Neff said.

“So we’re going to go by the state standards?” Neff asked.

“We are,” Hawkins said.

“And we’re going to improve?” Neff asked.

“Yes, sir. Absolutely.” Hawkins replied.

Former mayor David Pennington had earlier addressed the board members about a resolution signed in 2012 by local education and city officials that included a goal that all third-grade students will be able to read on grade level by 2020.

“Just 42 percent of Dalton third-graders are reading at grade level compared to the state average of 52 percent,” Pennington said.

He asked the board members to hold a public meeting specifically to address the issue. They did not respond.

“I don’t think anybody came here tonight to try to say that we’re not proud of Dalton school system,” Neff said. “We’re very proud of Dalton’s community and the effort that everyone puts forth to try and make it a better community.”

Neff said a public meeting would not just be to get community members excited but to allow them to be involved.

“I know we can come here (to a regular school board meeting), but it’s basically we’re spoon fed what you want us to hear,” Neff said. “We don’t have much of an opportunity to give a response to (the board) and I think that’s wrong.”

But current Board Chairman Rick Fromm reiterated that each regular meeting of the school board has a public comment section.

“I don’t know what’s so confusing to people, we started this several years ago,” he said.

Former school board chairman Tommy Boggs defended the current board members, saying they are doing a good job serving the community and the children of the community.

“I think that if someone has some opinions that y’all are open to listen,” he said. “If you’ve got some concerns, come express them, but don’t try to force something down (their throats) just because that’s what you think ought to be done. Let them make the decisions.”

At one point Fromm said Pennington had interrupted Boggs, adding, “This is disrespectful. You want to go ahead and talk to everyone in a way that you say we’re being disrespectful. You’re being very disrespectful in this meeting, but particularly to Mr. Boggs. You should at least give him the courtesy and let him speak.”

Pennington did not respond.

Danny Crutchfield, a former board chairman, also came to the board’s defense.

“Thank you for what you do, it wasn’t too long ago that I was up there,” he said.

Crutchfield talked about his daughter deciding to move back to Dalton post-college and her decision to do so because of the school system.

“She chose to live in this city, so we are doing a lot of things right,” he said. “I hear what you guys are saying about scores and I know this group is working hard with that.”

Former board chairman Steve Williams also applauded the current board members.

“No one knows more about the time commitment that you make than I do,” he said.

Calling the school system an “asset to the community,” Williams said he knows board members will continue to do a great job.

“This is a great district, it is known throughout this state for exceptional services that it provides to its students,” he said. “Its graduates continue to excel on a college level and beyond, succeeding in a vast number of areas.”