Sussex Progressive Community discusses education issues

Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, spoke to 90 guests at the Sussex Progressive Community Dinner Jan. 25 in Lewes on issues related to education in Delaware.

Townsend, a strong supporter of public schools, told the group that the use of standardized tests as the primary method to measure a school’s success or a teacher’s competency has got to stop. It can only lead to a "teaching to the test" atmosphere, he said.

The question and answer session was moderated by Fay Blake, executive director of Pathways to Success and chair of Sussex Unity. Among the issues discussed was the impact of the ever increasing number of charter schools on the resegregation of public schools. It was pointed out that while there is only one charter school in Sussex at this time, the racial makeup at Sussex Academy does not reflect the population of local school districts.

When informed of lack of racial diversity among the faculty in local public schools, Townsend encouraged attendees to bring these statistics to the attention of the local school boards. Other topics discussed included more autonomy for teachers, school safety, competitive entry-level salaries for teachers, and less competition and more cooperation among schools.

To learn more about the Sussex Progressive Community contact Joanne Cabry at sussexprogressives@gmail.com.