McGinley's Responses Reveal PR Focus

Who writes this stuff, Elliot Smalley? If so, he needs to pull out his Strunk and White.

In response to a constituent's complaint that Burke High School's much-touted improvement consists of smoke and mirrors, Charleston County Schools Superintendent Nancy McGinley "wrote":

We have received many words of congratulations [sic], elation, and much support from many of our downtown residents, along with the numerous volunteers and partners that work on a regular basis with the students and faculty of Burke High School. Even as recent [sic] as yesterday, the Post and Courier applauded the leadership and staff of Burke High School for their major accomplishments. [Perhaps we don't get the same version?] Why would we choose not to celebrate a school that has advanced from an eight year "unsatisfactory" rating? Why would we choose not to celebrate a school whose graduation rate has increased by 23 percentage points to a rate of 60% for on-time graduation? [Why, we're now actually keeping track of them as we shove them over the line with "credit-recovery" programs.] Why would we choose not to celebrate a school where students are feeling that their learning environment is safer and more rigorous? [One student was reported as saying this--no doubt an excellent statistical survey!]

Defensive, aren't we? McGinley focuses on CCSD's receiving a grade of Excellent for growth, never mind that the growth comes from learning how to count and track its students!

Let's face it. Superintendent McGinley is all about public relations.

It's for the children.