Alison Hudson: Croom did a good job

Regarding the Feb. 5 news article “Johnston facing $500,000 tab for schools chief's retirement”: Disappointed is the word that keeps running through my mind after reading the article about Johnston County Schools Superintendent Ed Croom.

We should be thanking Croom for his service and sacrifice to a profession that has only experienced loss at the hands of our legislators. Loss in funds for public schools, no raises or minimal raises for teachers, reductions in benefits for employees and retirees.

The article makes it sound like Croom is taking the money and running, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. To the commissioners and representatives who said they didn’t know what they were voting for or the specifics of his pension, shame on them for not doing their homework.

Croom has done nothing wrong and to imply otherwise is extremely disappointing. As someone who has had the honor of working with Croom for the past 10 years, I say to him, job well done. Johnston County schools are better off than when he began. He should enjoy every minute of retirement – he’s earned it.

This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Alison Hudson: Croom did a good job."