Bobby Henry – Walking Tall

By John Johnson II

Bobby Henry, standing well over six feet tall as Publisher of the Westside Gazette, has answered the call to literally become the new Sheriff in the Broward County School District. In fact, he’s reminiscent of the character played by Joe Don Baker in the movie entitled , Walking Tall. This movie was based on a true story of Bufford Pusser, a tough Tennessee Sheriff who defended justice using a single plank of wood the size of a baseball bat.

Well, Bobby Henry, Publisher of the Westside Gazette, is now Broward’s self-appointed School District’s real life “Walking Tall,” Publisher/Sheriff. He’s taking it upon himself to fight for justice and the salvage of this school district. However, he isn’t swinging a big stick.  He’s using his social media and his newspaper, The Westside Gazette, to inform the community of the dastardly deeds of Broward School Board Members and to expose Dr. Cartwright’s unfitness as Superintendent.

Unbelievably, just when he thought Dr. Cartwright had been fired, thus, paving the way for the hiring of a new Superintendent, she’s been resurrected and given more time to make matters worse. One would think that this Board would’ve had more concerns for the educational, social , and physical needs of the students.

Bobby Henry has made it clear that this  School Board’s commitment apparently is to Dr. Cartwright, rather than to its students, employees, parents, and other community stakeholders. But as this School Board’s worse nightmare, Bobby Henry  is again using his mighty pen to record malfeasance and enlighten the public of the political games being played with our children’s educational future.

Bobby Henry is continually Walking Tall and making this community aware of this Board’s unwise decisions and dangerous actions. What sane person would book a voyage on the Titanic  with Captain Smith?

Well, what parents want to continually entrust their beloved children’s educational journey to be navigated by Dr. Cartwright. She failed to effectively navigate the last school district where she worked through difficulties. That school district had only approximately 9,100 students. Three of Broward’s largest high schools have more students.

There are many things that this School Board must learn about Bobby Henry. But most importantly, it’s best they realize that when it comes to fighting for the people of this community, the fight isn’t over until the education of   Broward’s children is in the hands of an apolitical School Board and a competent Superintendent.

Bobby Henry has made it very clear that this community doesn’t need a School Board that merely behaves as though they’re just shuffling chairs on the deck of the Titanic. The world is aware of that tragic ending.

If the Titanic had been entrusted with a more competent Captain, it may have lived up to its billings as, “The unsinkable Ship.”

Bobby Henry has exposed the weakness of Dr. Cartwright as her administration slowly sinks. The new Superintendent must possess demonstrated educational leadership, managerial, financial, and personal relational skills. Also, this person surely needs to have worked in an urban multiethnic school district with at least 100,000 students in grades k through 12.

Now, just to be sure, if Bobby Henry says, “a duck can pull a truck,” just hook him up. And, if he says Dr. Cartwright is on course to sink this school district, heed his warning!  Consequently, this School Board must remove Dr. Cartwright from the helms, and figuratively cast her overboard to save the children.

YOU BE THE JUDGE!