MojaveMike wrote:BoraxBill wrote:There were problems with the school before the earthquake that were the result of general negligence as far as I could tell. But the real problems have been since the earthquake. Whereas the schools in Ridgecrest dealt with their issues quickly and decisively, Trona just sort of sat around with their fingers up their rears diddling around like a bunch of retarded sea monkeys. I've never seen so much incompetence. No wonder they fired the superintendent. At least it looks like someone is doing something, but it's obvious the superintendent wasn't the real problem if we're going to be perfectly honest about the little mess that passes for a school in Trona.
Many people noticed steady deterioration in the high school facilities prior to the earthquake and in many ways the earthquake covered that up and hid the general incompetence of the leadership people responsible for taking care of the school. Ridgecrest was able to take care of things quickly and efficiently because they have competent people running things. They did not allow their facilities to fall into disrepair prior to the earthquake and they responded intelligently following the earthquakes. Whether the incompetence observed in Trona is due to deficient and unintelligent leadership or simple lack of effort is difficult to say, but obviously key people are failing miserably.
Ridgecrest obviously has a larger talent pool to draw from. That gives them a considerable advantage.
torn80 wrote:MojaveMike: I've heard a lot about the general deterioration of the school in recent years although I haven't visited Trona for some time. Most people I've talked to blame it on bad leadership. The school board made a series of bad decisions and knowing some of them from back in the day I'm not surprised. It's not like the best and the brightest stayed in Trona. Just saying....
That's the general consensus of many who grew up in Trona, but no longer live in town. They try to polite about it, but it's impossible to deny.
recluse wrote:desertrat wrote:defcon: Interesting insight about small towns and as small towns shrink the problem you describe becomes more and more obvious. With the school being one of the biggest employment opportunities in town, having a seat on the school board puts you in control to do favors for locals and the more favors you can do the more your clout in the community increases. Definitely a situation ripe for corruption.
And as the fishbowl shrinks the problems become all the more obvious.
Yes, as the fishbowl shrinks there's less room to hide.