Barresi’s Office: Don’t Attack The Messenger
Barresi’s office on ‘no confidence’ plea: Administrators should stop attacking messenger
By KIM ARCHER World Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Sniping about the A-F school grading system needs to stop because parents deserve better, a state Department of Education spokeswoman said Tuesday in response to one superintendent’s plea for a “no confidence” vote on State Superintendent Janet Barresi.
“Some district superintendents evidently think the best way to combat poor school grades is not to redouble their efforts, but rather to stomp and shout that the A-F grades are unfair,” said spokeswoman Tricia Pemberton. “Administrators who say they support accountability need to do more than just attack the messenger.”
Pemberton’s response, on behalf of State Superintendent Janet Barresi, came after Broken Arrow Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall over the weekend called for school leaders statewide to move on a vote of “no confidence” in Barresi.
Mendenhall emailed school administrators in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas urging them to take the symbolic action to initiate action from legislators and parents to make changes in public education.