Retain his leadership

The continuation or cancellation of the initial two-year contract of Pine Bluff School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Robinson is in the hands of the Pine Bluff School District Board. I do not know if Dr. Robinson wants to stay in his position or not. Nevertheless, this is not a good time for the school district to make another change in leadership.

Many people do not understand the impact quick and/or continual change in leadership has on achieving sustainable, vision-directed, situation-specific change. I do. And making a change in the leadership at Pine Bluff School District does not make sense.

When an organization (let’s say a school district) experiences quick and/or continual change in leadership, those affected by the change (let’s say teachers, students, residents, and community leaders currently working to improve the organization or move its community forward), those evaluating the performance of the organization (let’s say the Arkansas Department of Education) may (a) lose confidence in the organization and/or its board, (b) become confused with the direction and vision of the organization and/or its board, and (c) leave or stop supporting the organization and/or its board, so long as doing so is possible and not personally damaging.

Achieving sustainable, visiondirected, situation-specific change definitely takes time. To this end, and supported by the fact that most elected officials (including those serving a three-year term on the Pine Bluff School District Board) have terms greater than two years, my opinion, again, is that another quick change in leadership at the district would not be good. LUCINDA LAWSON Pine Bluff