It is still with dismay, after several months, that our board of aldermen would allow the political system to eliminate Dr. Norris Allen Edney, the current interim president of Alcorn State University, from being given an opportunity to remain a member and chairman of the school board for the Natchez-Adams School District.

It appears that we have lost sight of the true meaning of solid leadership in a component of society that is germane to the quality of education encountered by our youth.

Dr. Edney is a leader who is strong, capable, open-minded and wise enough to be vice president of the Mississippi School Boards Association (with an opportunity to become president) but was not given an opportunity to remain a member and president of the local school board.

This action has also caused him to be ineligible for continued service on the Mississippi School Boards Association to the level of president during the next election. What a shame!

I encourage all entities involved in not allowing him an opportunity to continue serving on the Natchez-Adams School Board to be more cognizant of political actions in the future, especially when critical decisions as this one have to be made.

I am not being critical of the individual who replaced him on the board, but I am critical of the process used to oust Edney from consideration for continued service in the position that he held on the school board.

He exemplified leadership with integrity, dignity, professionalism and a true commitment to the upward mobility of the educational system for the county, the state and the world.

Dr. Robert Smith

retired professor, Alcorn State University