Many questions about Cox

Jeff Walker
Published: July 22, 2008

A recent series of news items have caused quite a stir in the Culpeper community.

I am talking about the situation in Culpeper County Public Schools now that former superintendent David Cox is on sabbatical for a year. In case you’ve been on an extended vacation or just moved here from Siberia, ask a neighbor or simply visit StarExponent.com. keyword: Cox.
I have to ask: Now what?

It seems the general public is not getting answers. It keeps asking about the reasons behind Dr. Cox’s change of status or how it was handled. There are critics galore asking for more details to be revealed in a case that appears to be a personnel issue. Even School Board members have written opinion columns, on both sides of the issue — each one fostering more questions than answers.

So, again I have to ask, now what happens? Will Cox’s departure (sorry, sabbatical) directly affect the average teacher preparing for the school year? When Jake, Maria, and T.T. are getting ready for school Aug. 20, will they wonder what Dr. Cox is doing that morning?

The answer to both of those questions is likely, “no.”

School is going to start Aug. 20, even if that is earlier than some of us had wished for. The buses will line up, the students will arrive and the teachers will be there. (Some may not be in the actual school to which they are assigned, but that’s another story.)

The children of Culpeper will walk the halls of their schools, find their classrooms and begin the true work of the school year. Isn’t that what each parent, teacher, principal, administrator and School Board member should be worried about the most? All politics aside, for better or worse, the classroom is where the rubber hits the road, not in a closed-door board room.

So, while I think we need to remind ourselves of the true priority of the public education system here in Culpeper, I too have a simple request for some answers.

In recent weeks, citizens, former School Board members and even a recent unsuccessful candidate for a School Board seat have said that change is good, referring to Cox’s sabbatical. On the other hand, some have called that change bad and if it was not broken, why fix it?

The whole, “we need change” rhetoric sounds good and gets a rise out of people, but if presidential candidates are going to get flack for it, then so should others.

“Change” happened. But now what is the direction? What is the outcome hoped for now that change has occurred? What has Culpeper County Public Schools gained now that change has been achieved?

Meanwhile, did anyone notice change had already happened?

Two new schools are opening (sooner or later), school enrollment is changing almost everyday and we all have dealt with an economy that is shaky at best.

As changes within the school system and in the community affect the bottom line, was the timing of such a major shift in the school leadership wise at this time?

I guess I must apologize, since I am posing more questions than answers. But in the weeks since all these events have unfolded, I have been asking myself these same questions. Patiently, I keep thinking, we’ll know more soon.

Perhaps we will all have more answers after the school board reconvenes its retreat Aug. 1 and 2 here in Culpeper, at the School Board office. Please note: Their retreat is here in town, not at an out of town resort. After the board finishes its retreat, we all deserve to know: “Now what?”

Jeff Walker is an independent columnist who lives in Culpeper. He appears Wednesdays in the Star-Exponent. E-mail

Editor’s note: Jeff Walker teaches drama at Eastern View High School and is vice president of the Culpeper County Education Association.