To the editor:

I am writing in support of probably all of the main points made by Max Sala in his letter published in the Monday, Nov. 1, 2010, issue of the Daily News.

Like Max, I have high regard for positive-thinking community members who offer up their time to serve, not only on the school board but on other boards and committees as well.

Without those kinds of people, communities like Dowagiac would die.

Max and I both worked in the educational community for many years and I’m sure he, like me, has worked in situations at times when the makeup of the school board was less than professionally positive and supportive.

From 1999 through this past June, I was employed by the Dowagiac Union Schools.

During that time, I was positively impressed by the tone and actions of our board in most situations and as a district employee appreciated their focus and approach to doing school business.

However, during the past weeks and perhaps months, I’ve seen a different dynamic at work and, in my opinion, it’s not leading the district in a positive direction.

Recent actions by the board regarding the varsity wrestling coach position have been divisive and ill-advised.

For me, this is not about personalities.

I have met new Superintendent Dr. Daniel and new Athletic Director Scott Lawler.

I also met Matt Alward when he was new to the district several years ago.

I have never met David Helmuth.

This mess is all about the delineation of duties and responsibilities of board members compared to the superintendent, athletic director, other administrators, faculty and staff.

The ONLY position within the school district that the board is responsible for hiring is the superintendent.

Once the superintendent is hired, he or she (or designee) is responsible for hiring all other district employees.

The board votes on hiring recommendations.

Our board this past spring  spent good time and money finding their collective choice to become our new superintendent, Dr. Daniel.

Now it becomes their responsibility to support his  hiring recommendations.

Dr. Daniel looked to the district’s equally new athletic director, Scott Lawler, to screen applicants, conduct interviews and make his recommendation for the next varsity wrestling coach.

Lawler did his job and recommended Matt Alward for the position.

What happened next is the ugly part.

Some board members chose to vote against the Alward appointment, evidently because he is not their personal choice for the position  and/or they have been pressured by others.

Absolutely parents and students have a right to be heard about school issues, but they don’t have the right to dictate hiring and firing.

Perhaps individual board members have personal biases regarding this particular hiring and/or the decision made last spring by the previous administration to not renew former coach John Green.

However, the board collectively has a responsibility to support THEIR newest hire, Dr. Daniel, and new athletic director, Scott Lawler, by ratifying the recommendation to hire Matt Alward!

Wrestling season is upon us and it’s in the student athletes’ best interests for the controversy to be resolved immediately.

Final point — Max pointed out in his letter the need for Dowagiac to attract and then keep good young teachers and their families.

That is a huge problem for small school districts everywhere, and I agree  that we can’t afford to lose Matt Alward and his family or any of the other successful teaching/coaching families who currently work and live here.

They all are credits to our community and deserve our support.

Unfortunately, if our board can’t or won’t resolve this issue in a positive manner, I’m afraid it will send a negative message and a sense of lack of support to not only Alward but to Daniel and Lawler as well.

Let’s not let that happen!

Larry Schmidt

Dowagiac