Superintendent pays price for FWISD failures. When do school trustees pay theirs? | Opinion

Congratulations, Fort Worth ISD trustees. You found a scapegoat for the rising concern and anger at the state of our schools.

And perhaps in record time. It’s been barely a month since Mayor Mattie Parker stood before the board and demanded change on behalf of dozens of civic and business leaders, not to mention thousands of suffering families and a community embarrassed by the ongoing inability to teach children to adequately read and write.

The removal of Superintendent Angélica Ramsey after scarcely two years on the job must be the beginning of the work, not the end. It better also include changes to the board’s operations and expectations, if not its membership.

The narrative cannot be that Ramsey fell short and all will be well once she’s replaced. The evidence of the district’s poor performance simply goes too far back for that to be credible. The school board kept Ramsey’s predecessor, Kent Scribner, too long, allowing the focus to drift from academics. Then, it paid him handsomely to go away and missed on Ramsey’s hiring — as it acknowledged with Tuesday’s 8-1 vote on what was labeled a resignation agreement.

Ramsey then issued a four-page statement outlining what she considered her accomplishments in her short tenure. That’s not the action of someone who agrees she should walk away, except that it’s not tenable for her to stay. Rest assured, she’ll be paid handsomely to leave. We don’t know exactly how much yet — as usual, the district has been vague about the whole arrangement. But combined with what it paid Scribner at the end of his tenure, nearly $600,000, the district probably could hire 10 veteran teachers for a year.

When colleges do this again and again with football coaches, we rightfully howl. When school districts do it while constantly complaining about a lack of funding, it’s yet another governance debacle.

So, maybe some board members need to join Ramsey on the outside, too. We hope some will have the humility to step away; any who don’t should face vigorous challenges the next time they’re on the ballot to at least encourage them to do better. We need a school board that expects excellence, not mediocrity (or worse), and creates an environment where leadership can make that happen.

As we’ve lamented, the board has been mostly silent during a citywide discussion of the district’s problems and even of Ramsey’s fate. Finally, Tuesday night, board President Roxanne Martinez explained that “hearing the community’s concerns was a large part of why I supported the decision. I also think we mutually made a decision to move on in the best interest of children.” Martinez said.

Say what? The learning problems in Fort Worth ISD have been evident for years. If it took Parker’s dramatic step to move someone, why is that person even on the school board?

At what point will the board take responsibility for its part? Trustees failed to back Ramsey at key points, including difficult decisions on closing low-enrollment middle schools. And the moment that prominent criticism was voiced, they made her walk the plank.

Why would any good administrator want to take on these problems, working for this board, except for the apparent likelihood of a handsome payment at the end?

Trustees are not the only ones with work to do. Parker and those who co-signed a letter she sent to school board members must keep the pressure up. Offer ideas and partnerships and, if they aren’t accepted, make sure the public knows it. And get involved in May’s elections if that’s what it takes.

Let’s consider bolder steps, too. Perhaps the city or some foundations should investigate what it would take to start more charter schools in areas where Fort Worth ISD schools perform the worst, and then ask the city’s generous philanthropic community to step up. See if universities could help set up strike teams to intervene in the worst campuses or perhaps even take over administration of one to learn and spread best practices.

Parents have a huge role, too. When the district has been moved to act, especially on transparency and communication, it’s often been because organized parent groups demand better for their children. They must keep the heat on and, when the time comes, vote.

State lawmakers and education oversight officials should get involved. It’s messy work for an elected leader at another level, but the “independent” in an ISD’s name does not mean freedom to wallow in failure. Tarrant County’s senators and representatives need to push for more resources and more accountability for the district.

There are plenty of people on the sidelines with experience who can help: former trustees, retired educators, fundraisers and business leaders. Of course, they’ll first need a signal that trustees and administrators will welcome their efforts.

The district will muddle through under interim leadership while the board again spends months trying to find someone with enough talent and gumption to take on a challenging job. Watch out for trustees trying to finish a hire just before five of them are on the ballot in May. Then, they can campaign on a fine selection and pledge to give the new CEO all that he or she needs.

Pushing Ramsey out buys time and quells the rising tumult — for a time. It was probably a necessary step for a clean start. But if anyone tries to argue that it was a sufficient one, keep that person far away from a meaningful role in the future of Fort Worth schools.

This story was originally published September 25, 2024 at 2:41 PM.