FORKS — More than 200 parents, students and residents flocked to Forks High School’s auditorium Tuesday night to watch the Quillayute Valley School Board attempt to address simmering community questions and concerns.
The meeting — moved to the auditorium because of the audience size — was the first held since two student walkouts at Forks High School on March 25 and April 1 surprised the small community.
Since then, many students and parents have focused their ire on the high school’s administration, led by Principal Steve Quick and Vice Principal Chris Wiseman, who have repeatedly been accused of being too strict and excluding students and staff in decision-making processes.
During Tuesday’s board meeting, dozens of people delivered comments over 2½ hours.
Some of the most poignant testimony defended Quick and Wiseman — or sought their firings.
The board took no action, but heard an earful of opinions.
“If you talk with these people, they will work with you,” said Mike Blair, who cited his own experience with the high school administration in getting his daughter to improve her academic work.
Blair also asked many people to reconsider their criticism of Quick’s suspension of a student, Dana Wentworth, and for kicking her out of a basketball game in Centralia in March after she made an obscene gesture to the vehicle in which Quick and Wiseman were riding en route to the game.
The suspension sparked a community firestorm, especially after the student’s father, Hugh Wentworth, repeatedly insisted that Quick had no authority to discipline his daughter for her actions on a public highway, and for allegedly abruptly handling her at the Centralia game.
“If you go to work and flip off your boss, then you won’t be there much longer,” Blair said.
“It pretty much comes down to what do you want your kids to learn here?”
Teacher urges firing
One of the most dramatic moments of Tuesday night’s School Board meeting came when Forks High School math teacher Ashley Watson asked the board to fire Quick.
Fearing that too much attention might be put on the Dana Wentworth situation, Watson said the School Board needed to do something about the “dictatorial nature” of Quick’s leadership.
“I’m suggesting that you cut your losses,” Watson told the board.
“Send him [Quick] down the road.”
The teacher’s comments garnered a lengthy standing ovation from the meeting audience.
