"Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
- Mark Twain
Richard Goodright, assistant superintendent of the Wooster school system, was announced as Massillon's new school superintendent today.
We wish Mr. Goodright well.
Richard Goodwright will be the fifth superintendent of the Massillon City School system since 2008.
Fred Blosser
Chris DiLoretto
John McGrath
and Lisa Carmichael have preceded him.
The school board knew who it would appoint on Thursday, but made the public announcement at a special session of the board of education today.
School Board President Weinberg offered his insight into why Goodright was eventually chosen.
Was it academics?
School finance?
Improving our rating on the state report card?
Try none of the above.
"He said the new superintendent is familiar with the Massillon City School District, its traditions and culture, including its high-profile football program."
"He understands football, and not just the game, but its role in driving education with our study tables, with character development," Weinberg said. "He believes it's one of the assets we should market loudly" (The Independent, June 24, 2011).
"He understands football..."
This quote provides us with a clear, unobstructed view into the mind of Marshall Weinberg.
It's not about academics, college readiness, and providing our kids with the education necessary to compete in a global economy.
It's about football.
When asked by our local paper about the man he wanted to hire, Weinberg immediately starts talking about football.
Listen, we realized a long time ago that Weinberg's primary interest in the school system related to his interest in helping the "friends of the program" football boosters reassert control over "their" team.
Just don't say it out loud, because then we are compelled to listen.
You have put Mr. Goodright in a box.
You just made his job harder.
Now people are left guessing whether or not our new superintendent made some implicit deal with the friends of the program, in what many will assume to be an off the record, side conversation with "whoever," to secure his hiring.
We would now like to congratulate Head Football Coach Jason Hall on his soon to be made public hiring as athletic director.
Congratulations.
Most people realized that the next superintendent would have to "play ball" with the friends of the program in order to be hired.
Lisa Carmichael didn't, and this is why she is gone.
We want the new guy to succeed.
Marshall didn't have to put what we suspected out on Main Street.
We are now forced to look at the elephant in the room, and can only be left wondering which assistant football coach will be assistant athletic director.
Stupid is as stupid does.
