Open forum: There Is No Justice If People Aren’t Held Accountable!

Mary L. Moorhead

If the majority of the members of the V.I. Board of Education have the best interest of students at heart, the board has the authority to “do anything necessary for the proper establishment, maintenance, management and operation of the public schools of the Virgin Islands” as legislated in Title 17, section 21(a)(1).

Where are the board members with the character to exercise that oversight?

If the majority of the members of the board of education have the best interest of students at heart, the board would exercise its legislated authority and direct the Department of Education to create the curriculum with the courses of study for Virgin Islands history and basic Caribbean history in elementary and secondary public education as directed by Act 4844, “To require that all school students in the Virgin Islands be instructed in Virgin Islands History.”

Where are the board members with the character to exercise that oversight?

If the majority of the members of the Board of Education have the best interest of students at heart, the board would do its duty and “provide for proper administration of funds appropriated by Congress and apportioned to the V.I. for any and all educational purposes” as legislated in Title 17, section 21 (a) (4).

Where are the board members with the character to exercise that oversight?

This moment in the territory is ripe with opportunities to reshape our public-school education, and we must always remember Nelson Mandela’s quote, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Public school education is an investment, not an expense. Public school education must be a key issue in every administration.

Thank you, Mary L. Moorhead