Long-term contracts may help

Editor:

After reading Barry Paschals March 3 column, No welcome for outsiders, I realized he failed to mention a possible important reason for principals (and perhaps other positions) in Columbia County leaving their posts.

I know one of the people Paschal mentioned by name in the column and, as I understand it, his reason for leaving is that Columbia County only allows for one-year contracts for principals, which does not provide for job security. This particular person asked for a three-year contract to stay in his job and was denied. Another county offered him a three-year contract and he took it for security and stability reasons.

I am one of the county residents who have been here less than five years, and I know that in most other areas of the country, school principals are offered greater job security in the form of three- to five-year contracts.

James Franken

Evans