LETTERS: NEYLAND CLARK DESERVES SUPPORT

To the Editor,

I am writing this letter in regards to Dr. Neyland Clark. I first met Dr. Clark after he had accepted the position as Superintendent of Cape Public Schools. I had the occasion to meet with him and his family at his previous home in Kentucky. On this trip, I was treated better than I could have ever been expected, considering I was calling on a person I had never met before. My initial meeting, which was to last approximately one hour, ran into the dinner hour and ended with a ping pong tournament that evening involving the whole family.

As I departed from the Clark residence and headed back for home in Cape Girardeau, I enjoyed one of the most fulfilling and enviable experiences that I had ever had. So much so, that I could not get it off my mind the entire trip home and upon returning home I drafted a letter to the Clark family basically saying that they were one of the neatest families that I had ever met, and if I could become one half of the family man that Dr. Neyland Clark had become, I would consider myself a success in life.

That initial experience did nothing but blossom upon their arrival in Cape Girardeau. And I have been fortunate enough to be involved in several projects with Dr. Clark. In each and every case, I have seen a man that is bursting with ambition and desire to do what's right for the kids within our school district. This is not a man that wastes any energy worrying about doing what's politically correct; this is a man with a relentless and sometimes frustrating ambition to implement the proper environment to allow our children to achieve.

Dr. Neyland Clark's character and integrity are above reproach. Whenever a leader is charged with initiating change, the implementation is almost always greeted negatively. We as citizens of this school district all have the right to express our feelings towards new ideas and programs. These issues will always be controversial and divisive in nature, and hopefully, they will be resolved with the application of good hard work and common sense. What we, as citizens, do not have a right to do is judge the character and integrity of a person if we are not familiar with them. Dr. Clark is a man that opens up his home to everyone. To those that feel he is arrogant, I ask them to knock on his door any evening and he will temporarily depart from his two-on-two basketball game that he is enjoying with his family to address any issues that you might feel are important.

The way this man's character has been falsely and inaccurately depicted throughout the media is the largest injustice that I have ever witnessed. It is one thing to find fault and disagree with issues -- it is totally another to slander and berate the character of an individual when there is no evidence to support it.

Dr. Clark's position is one that is extremely difficult. It is difficult because the most important people in our lives are ultimately affected -- our children. Instead of the personal attacks on one individual we all need to come together with each other to resolve the issues.

In closing, I would like to request that the Board explore all alternatives and actions that could facilitate change within our school district. But I would also like to ask the Board not to give in to a small group of people that have chosen to chastise one man over inadequacies and deficiencies that the school district has experienced dating back long before the arrival of Dr. Neyland Clark.

I would ask each and everyone of you to remember, that with strong character, strong integrity, and strong ambition, anything can be accomplished and achieved. -- Dr. Neyland Clark possesses every one of these qualities.

JAY B. KNUDTSON

Cape Girardeau