New Superintendent Proves Himself a Pragmatic Realist
For the second time in as many months, the new Superintendent of Greenwich Schools has proven himself a pragmatic realist and not a starry-eye ideologue. How refreshing.
Last week Sidney Freund, the Superintendent of Greenwich Schools, nixed a contest encouraging kids to ride bikes to school. The Democrat candidate for First Selectman criticized the Board of Education for that decision.
Was Dr. Freund against children riding bicycles and getting exercise? Was he in favor of more cars on the road driving kids to school? No. He had very practical questions about not having enough bike-racks at the school. How pragmatic! Moreover, he was concerned about the safety of the kids on bikes. How responsible! He put the safety of our children ahead of the “politically correct” fad of the day.
This isn’t the first time in his tenure Dr. Freund has demonstrated this practical streak. During the first week of school he was confronted with the controversial speech by President Obama to the nation’s school children. The right was clamoring that it was indoctrination. The left was in arms about not bending to right-wing pressure not to show the speech.
Again, side-stepping politics, Dr. Freund said in effect, “Hey, logistically we don’t have the facilities to show it live. Let’s roll it out, in the appropriate classes. And, by that time, parents will have had time to see the speech and speak with their kids about it before they see it at school.”
How reasonable!
Let’s hope the Superintendent keeps focusing on the students, teachers and practicalities of running the schools and doesn’t venture into politics.