To the editor
By:
I would be the last person who would like to perpetuate this story, but I feel the need to back up one of the best teachers this town has teaching in our schools.
Mr. Becker read a story in the Courier News that should never have been printed, never mind still discussed today.
Two parents felt upset about a teacher sharing her opinion of the school budget vote, and from there it has taken on a life that should have died that day. The only call that should have been made by these parents, should have been to the principal of the school, and let it be handled in house.
The idea that the superintendent of schools, and the Courier News were called is unbelievable.
We are talking about six- and seven-year-old children, and how a story changes and gets blown out of proportion when repeated by them. At least Mr. Becker states in his letter to the editor of the Beacon, that he bases his opinion on what he has read. He obviously is not a parent of a child in the classroom. I am.
There are 19 parents in this class. The story in the Courier was provided by two sets of parents.
I would like to speak for the parents that saw this as a non-issue. These same children came home the week before this mess, telling their parents that Ms. Servetz told them they couldn’t wear shorts the next day. When, in fact, they were having a discussion about choices, and how on the day of the lesson it was hot, and a good choice was to wear shorts, and the weather predicted for the following day was to be cold, and pants were a better choice for that day.
Am I the only parent that takes what my five- or six-year-old says with some question? I listen to everything my children have to say, but when asked for a deeper story, it gets a little clearer ( or in some cases, a little cloudier!).
I do not know if Mr. Becker has a young child in the school system. And I do not know if he is familiar with the teachers at the Amsterdam School. But before he drags the reputation of one of the best teachers I know through the mud, he better know what he is talking about.
Melissa Servetz loves these children. I have spent enough time in her classroom to see that they love her too. She makes them love to come to school and learn. I have personally seen them ask for more work … yes … more work! She sees each child’s potential and helps them reach it everyday. Any school system would be lucky to have her.
This, Mr. Becker, is not a case of "protecting their own,", this is a case of protecting a teacher from a story run amuck. Let this story die, and let this wonderful teacher get back to the business of giving our children the best education possible.
And believe me, it is because of teachers like her that we have that here in Hillsborough.
Matrick Court