MiddletownJournal.com

I have followed the articles in The Journal about the search for a new Middie football coach. It's amazing to me the interest that was shown ...

My only involvement was as an observer. The list of applicants was quite impressive and refreshing, especially when considering most of the news we have read lately is of companies and people that are choosing to leave town to do business or live, or are tired of the local government and their inability to be successful in moving Middletown forward ...

I have not met Jason Krause, but welcome him to Middletown. I wish him good luck. May you have the support of all of those involved and the community. I look forward to the day when Middie pride, spirit and respect return to our school system.

I now need to express my extreme disappointment in our school board president, Greg Tyus, and vice president, Katie McNeil. Your "no" votes spoke volumes to me. Was it your lack of trust and confidence in the decision of Dr. Price, Principal Dennis Newell and Athletic Director Gary Lebo, which would show disrespect to them, or was it your personal opinions and/or agenda that got in your way? ... My own view of your "no" votes — since both of you have chosen to not comment — is as follows:

President Tyus, you voted "no" because the person selected was not a person of color. It does not matter to you if the best person was chosen, but what color their skin happens to be. Vice President McNeil, you have been a part of the school board a long time, long enough to have been a part of the board when Monroe chose to separate from our school system. Your "no" vote was because you would do anything within your power to see that no one who has had anything to do with the Monroe schools become a part of the Middletown schools.

I ask each of you to search within yourselves and set aside your personal agendas and give the new coach a chance to prove himself ... There is great room for improvement in the Middletown City Schools and if someone is willing to take (on) the challenges, then the least you can do is support him.

And I cannot leave out the team chaplain, Rudy Pringle. Since a student or staff member cannot offer a public prayer in school or at a school activity, why do they need a chaplain? Especially one who continues to perpetuate the race issue in everything the school or city attempts to accomplish. The Bible was written in black and white, but God's earth is a marvelous palette of many colors.

Gregory L. Rolph

Middletown

Vote for this story!