Editorial didn't acknowledge challenges faced by Youngstown schools

EDITOR:
In your Aug. 3 editorial regarding the Youngstown school district's academic progress you indicated in one section of your diatribe that you were disappointed in me for making a valid point. In your words, "we're disappointed with Superintendent McGee's explanation for the latest results -- not because it is invalid, but because it doesn't make a difference." As a person who feels that validity is most often rewarded as opposed to negated I am concerned about the line of thinking that would have caused you to make such a statement.
I believe that I have more of a right to be disappointed in you as an editorial board than you have to be disappointed in me as a superintendent of schools. I collect, examine and react to valid data on a regular basis, I would suggest that as an editorial board you may benefit from adopting a similar mode of operation. For example, I presented you with valid data indicating that the district had made gains whether the special education scores were included or excluded. You failed to note or comment on this fact.
As you know it is not just about meeting the standards, particularly if the standards have changed three times in three years. It is about the level of improvement a district is making in its effort to meet the standards. The data clearly indicated that is a fair apples to apples comparison were made (such comparison will be made at the state and other levels) the district improved in 21 of 22 indicators.
As school superintendent of the Youngstown City School District I am not asking or expecting accolades. However, the data clearly indicates that the district is making steady and significant gains in most testing areas, in attendance and graduation rate.
J.C. Benton at the Ohio Department of Education indicates that he is equally disappointed in you as an editorial board because he was taken out of context. He said that in his 40 minute conversation with you that he indicated that he too felt that the data this year would not be an apples to apples comparison. In your commentary regarding improvements you failed to mention that districts with a high percentage of special education students were least likely to show improvement or to stay the same on this year's state report card. It was disingenuous at best to lift one comment out of context and use that alleged comment to frame your erroneous premise.
It is not healthy to circle the wagons, fire inward and then wonder why those observing from the hillside will not come to the campfire when they are invited, for example, to join our attempts to re-vitalize the valley. Your most recent editorial unjustifiably fires inward as it seeks to divide rather than unite, it seeks to indict rather than affirm. Putting everyone else aside, the children and the parents of the Youngstown City School system need to be acknowledged for some of the gains they are making in test scores attendance and graduation rates.
BENJAMIN L. McGEE
Youngstown