Craig Spinks: Why Frazier Was Really Removed From Glenn Hills

Commentary

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Augusta, GA

By Dr. Craig Spinks, ED D

Wayne Frazier got fired from Glenn Hills High School? Even though they are calling it a "reassignment" to the Alternative School, let's call it what it is: Frazier was terminated as principal of Glenn Hills  in an act of political retribution. It's business as usual in the Richmond County School System.

Frazier is the principal who got a filthy building cleaned up, rousted wanderers from school hallways, removed athletics as the school's primary focus, took control of school finances, "lit up" indolent employees, motivated disheartened students and began a long march to academic quality on "The Hill.".

Why would the RCBOE "need to make a change" involving the "reassignment" of such a leader less than three weeks before the start of his fourth year at Glenn Hills? Wasn't Glenn Hills recently recognized for having the highest graduation rate among all the historically most underperforming public high schools in Georgia? Wasn't the Frazier-initiated mentorship program the subject of a local newspaper article which was recently selected by the Georgia Press Association for a first-place award for Education Reporting?

Why would Frazier be removed as principal of Glenn Hills? One board member cited "poor test scores."  Apparently the board member's making this claim didn't notice that the passing rates on 5 of the 8 End-of-Course-Tests given Glenn Hiills' students has increased since Dr. Frazier arrived on "The Hill" in the late Spring of 2009.

Another board official cited staff discontent as the reason for Doc's firing. What percentage of this discontented staff segment was composed of the incompetent, lax and/or uncaring hold-overs whom Dr. Frazier inherited from the notoriously ineffective principal which preceded Dr. Frazier? Did the poor-excuse-for-a-head-custodian whose reassignment Doctor Frazier requested in his first days on "The Hill" complain to board members and/or The Broad Street Temple about the filthy halls and bathrooms which Frazier found upon his initial inspection of the building? How about the member of the athletic staff too out-of-condition to walk from the GHHS gym to the office?   How he'd like Doctor Frazier's removing control of the athletic funds to the principal's office? How'd he like being relieved of coaching and administrative duties?

Like Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle, Doctor Frazier doesn't play. The two Glenn Hills High School staff members mentioned in the previous paragraph and many others "riding the system" there learned "the hard way" that there was "a new sheriff in town." Wayne Frazier isn't about shamming. He's about children, particularly poor children, and what's best for them.

Now Doc would be the first to admit that working successfully with children, particularly poor children and most particularly poor children without Fathers, is demanding work which takes a passion and an energy which most teachers don't have. Such work is not for the "eight hour per day, forty hour per week" type of teacher.  Frazier also realizes that all teachers can't be expected to have the energy and passion necessary for teaching effectively at "The Hill."

 Most teachers have family responsibilities which preclude the close mentorship required for "reaching" kids who lack money and both parents. Glenn Hills High is not the best place for folks whose parental responsibilities prevent the extra time and effort needed to "reach" the at-risk kids who constitute a  large part of the GHHS student body. Such teachers can be successful elsewhere. And Doctor Frazier wishes them well.

And Doctor Frazier wishes Mr. Givens, his close friend and right-hand man at both Tubman Middle and GHHS, Givens' staff and the GHHS student body success during the upcoming 2012-13 school year. Dr. Frazier looks forward to Graduation Day 2013. Frazier's will be the biggest smile in the James Brown Arena when the freshman who entered Glenn Hills High in August 2009 walk across the stage, receive their diplomas and enter the adult world to learn and lead.

Dr. Craig Spinks, ED. D

* Dr. Spinks is an educator with the Richmond County Public School System