JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins Resigning

I can understand him resigning, but why wait over a whole year to do it?

Maybe he wants to give JPS time to find a replacement.

That will give the state's largest school district ample time to launch a search and find a new superintendent.

isn't he just letting his current contract expire? that really wouldn't be a resignation. i could be wrong, but that's what it seems like he's saying.

From the $150 million bond issue to the lawsuit. I think it's time to find someone who's got the well-being of those kids in mind, rather than funny stuff.

isn't he just letting his current contract expire? that really wouldn't be a resignation. i could be wrong, but that's what it seems like he's saying.

I think of a resignation in more of a short-term time frame.

Umm... Just to set the record straight on a couple of things. First, while the whole sexual harassment suit and outcome had an impact on this decision, it is far more the result of the current majority and soon to be unanimity of the School Board. Melton has a 3-2 majority, has been deliberately lying about truancy and dropout rates in the district, and gunning for Jonathon Larkin and H. Ann Jones since his term as mayor began. Now he is about to get rid of both of them unless the city council finds 4 spines somewhere among their members. Can you imagine 4 Melton appointments and a president with his nose firmly in der Fuhrer's backside?

Next, Watkins is not resigning. His contract runs through the end of this fiscal year (June 2009). He has elected to not seek and extension of the contract. Therefore, it is not technically a resignation although the end result is the same: the JPS School Board will begin a search and eventual vote on offering a contract to someone. Of course, as I noted before, that will be a Board different from the current one. It will be a Board comprised solely of Melton appointees and sycophants. You thought the bond awards and contracts were shady? Wait until there is no opposition to the shenanigans.

And just as a reminder for the record, regardless of Melton's libelous statements, innuendo and rumor from the media, and repetitions in forums, JPS test scores, truancy rates, dropout rates, fiscal affairs, and teacher professionalism are all better now than when Watkins took over in 2002.

look just let the mayor do his job...okay he has lowered crime...it looks like mayberry out here...now he is going to revamp jps...you know he is the adopter of pointdexter...theyre good...then he will lead the system of education...for the state then the world...frank is a saint and i sleep better at night because of what he does for this city...i just thought about him out there in his city jacket with his name embroidered on his chest...it brings tears to my eyes...im so proud to be a jacksonian...i think watkins should resign immediately and let frank be the superintendent and the mayor...then he could do more to help jackson...thank you frank...4 more years

I actually agree with the truancy problem. It's much worse than it looks on paper.

You can't convince me JPS is ever going to improve. I just can't see it happening.