I wrote in this week's edition of Creative Loafing, errrr, Weekly Planet about school superintendent-related problems on both sides of Tampa Bay. That story included some thoughts about whether the St. Petersburg Times has changed its mind about Superintendent Clayton Wilcox, based on a recent critical editorial about teacher dissatisfaction with a bylined sidebar by Editor Paul Tash.
Since I finished that report, two things have happened: the Times has written another story about waning support for Wilcox, citing a 21 percent drop in favorability ratings given him by his own teachers; and I've heard from Wilcox, who I e-mailed just before my deadline.
Here is his response to my question about whether he feels the Times has soured on his administration:
"I don't think so … I think they are just trying to get their hands around a big problem … I think that if I just keep doing the right thing … all that stuff will take care of itself … (the Times – I've spoken recently to several of the editorial writers and I think they believe that its just tough sledding- I don't get the sense they have concluded that I am the devil … ) … Clayt"
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2006.