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As Brooke County Interim School Superintendent Jeffrey Crook warned a few weeks ago, restructuring administrative office personnel is not going to be pleasant or easy. Board of education members got a taste of controversy over the matter this week.
Crook has recommended changes involving reducing some of the central office staff and eliminating current contracts for people in those positions. That could allow the board to hire new people or keep those already in the post -- perhaps at salaries lower than those revealed last year, which caused quite an uproar among some county residents and even among some teachers.
During their meeting Monday, board members approved Crook's recommendations -- but not unanimously. One on personnel changes involving "reductions in force" was agreed to in a 3-2 vote. Another on eliminating current contracts was approved by a 4-1 tally.
Before those votes were taken, board members heard both praise and criticism. Teacher Brandy Mazzella said she trusts those in leadership positions.
But central office employee Shelly Och, who is payroll supervisor and benefits coordinator, had a different take. Crook's plan "will result in a lack of knowledge and continuity that will cause an exodus of quality directors, educators and personnel from Brooke County," she warned.
After Och spoke, board member Antoinette Perkins expressed concern about whether eliminating some positions would result in an unreasonable increase in work for those remaining in the central office.
The right people will be able to handle the work, Crook responded.
That is not mere guesswork or wishful thinking. Crook has long experience in administration, including a stint as school superintendent in Marshall County.
Still, if board members have concerns about specific central office positions, they should discuss them with Crook -- and perhaps with one another, in public.
Administrative employees who got big pay raises last year should not be treated in a punitive manner. It is not their fault that the superintendent then recommended the salary hikes, or that the board then approved them.
At the same time, sticking with the status quo is not a solution.
Crook seems to have devoted time and thought to a plan he believes will benefit the school system and, more important, the children within it. Going along with it will result in some controversy, as was seen Monday.
But not making substantive changes would mean even more criticism.