LETTER DRAWS CENSURE

Cape Girardeau Central High School secretary Colleen Keys believes she was reprimanded by Superintendent Neyland Clark for writing a letter to Clark and school board members expressing her disappointment with revisions in a policy regarding the school's commencement ceremony.

Clark said Keys misunderstood the nature of a meeting he held with her but understands her frustration.

"Mrs. Keys is apprehensive like others because of a lot of changes," Clark said Wednesday. A new high school principal and two new assistants will take over leadership of the building next year.

Clark said Keys was not questioned at the meeting because of the letter she had written, although he did refer to the letter.

"It was probably the main thing in her mind," Clark said. "She was upset, a little resentful, before the meeting started."

Three high school secretaries, in addition to staff members at the central office, all had conversations with Clark on Monday about communication within the school district, he said.

Keys said: "I expressed a personal opinion as a parent. I'm very naive. I trust people. I expect when you are a good person and do a good job you should be treated that way. I was surprised I created such disappointment and anger by writing a letter."

Keys said she decided not to go to school board members with her story because she feared the majority of members would not support her.

"It appears they don't support the majority of the community," Keys said. "Why would they support one of me?"

She added, "There are some people on the board I feel I could trust, but not the majority of members."

Keys wrote a letter addressed to Clark and members of the school board and sent the letter to Clark Wednesday or Thursday last week. "I wrote it the day Mr. Milligan walked out, but I sat on it because I was angry. I made a few changes and then I sent it because I still felt strongly."

On Monday at 9:15 a.m., Keys got a call from the superintendent's secretary asking her to come to the board office at 10:30 a.m. for a meeting with Clark. "I've never been called over there for anything," she said.

Clark admitted that individual meetings with secretarial staff were "a little unorthodox."

However, he said the meeting was called under unusual circumstances: The building principal is gone, the assistant principal was closing school and preparing to leave, and the new administrators are not yet on the job.

Clark said he was concerned about communication and information flow within the school district, specifically at the high school, and that's why he held the meetings. He also said he was worried about confidentiality of student records.

Keys said: "It didn't last very long. His secretary sat in on the meeting. Dr. Clark stated he was disappointed in the letter because I was an employee of the district. I said I wrote it as a parent.

"He asked what I based my information on. I said the same thing other people in the community were basing their information on. He said there were untruths in a lot of what was being said and he understood my loyalty to Mr. Milligan.

"He then started to talk about the new administration coming in and how he (the new high school principal) would need a supportive staff. I agreed with that and he seemed surprised. Then I asked what he was trying to say to me. I was confused, confused why I was even there.

"He said perhaps the new administration should be informed of my letter and that perhaps I was not the team member he would need."

But Clark denied that his comments were a threat.

"I feel I have an obligation to meet with the new staff," he said. "I think they have a right to know the internal reaction to what was happening."

Keys said Clark held her letter in the air and said if either of Cape Girardeau's hospital administrators had received a similar letter from a secretary, she would be out of a job.

"That's when I walked out," Keys said. "I'm a good employee. I did not deserve to be treated that way. I love my job. I love the kids. I love the people I work with. It's so sad that all of this is going on."

Board Member John Campbell agreed that changes under way in the district have caused some discontent.

He said that during the three recent ballot measures, of which all failed, "staff members are shooting us in the foot. He (Clark) is trying to build some loyalty. I think people at the high school are upset because there is a complete change of administration."

School board member Lyle Davis said he supports Clark.

"I'm real proud of his efforts," Davis said. "And I've told him if I ever suspected him of doing something underhanded, I'd be the first one in his face.

"The public has every right to question every decision the school board makes, every decision the superintendent makes," Davis said. "We expect they will."