To the Editor:

Response to Dr. Jim Malanowski's statement in the article "95 percent pass state high school writing test” dated Dec. 13, 2012:
I graduated from the former Madison County School, Pearl High with honors and I’m now a retired school social worker. I was pleased to see that Morgan County High School has continued to be a high-performing institution with 95 percent of the students passing the state’s high school writing test. However, I am appalled by comments from the now-principal, Dr. Jim Malanowski, who said he initially thought the discrepancy between scores for male and female students was the result of “an African-American situation."
It is infuriating that in this day and age an educator would jump to such a conclusion without any proof and perpetuate the theory that African-American males are not high achievers and are most likely to have lower test scores than white students. Has he checked out who’s in the White House lately?
And if the test discrepancy had been the result of an “African-American male situation,” what would Dr. Malanowski be willing to do to change the outcome?  Based on his comments, I think the principal is surely in need of cultural competency training. Parents should be outraged that the school leadership would have the audacity to make such a statement and apparently thinks it is OK. 
These types of statements heighten my concern regarding the lack of black teachers and administrators in Morgan County High School. Parents and students deserve a faculty that reflects a diverse community and works to support all students from all backgrounds.
Concerned Citizen,

Gerri Franklin Williams
Madison
Via e-mail

Printed in the March 7, 2013 edition