Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I am writing this letter because I am a concerned citizen. Through this letter, I speak for the community, I speak for our children and I speak for parents. A grave injustice has been done to Mr. Alexis Foster, Mathews High School assistant principal. Mr. Foster is well respected by the students, parents and faculty. Mr. Foster is well qualified and should have been chosen for the position of principal at Mathews High School. But, like me, his hair is not straight, his eyes are not blue, his nose is flat and his skin is black. So of course they (The Mathews County School Board—MCSB) did not think that Mr. Foster could fill this role. Strange that this is the thought process when many times Mr. Foster performed the duties of the now ex-principal and did this while performing his own duties and responsibilities.

I am appalled at the way Mr. Foster has been treated. Why, did they (MCSB) have to go out of the county and select a candidate? The MCSB did not have to look beyond their nose to see there was a qualified candidate at Mathews High School. 

In addition, the school board must change how they function when considering, interviewing and selecting candidates.  It is time that we as a community and as African-Americans hold the “power brokers” accountable. It is time that we change the attitude and the belief system of entitlement and privilege.

We may not think meetings (school board meetings, parent-teacher meetings, etc.) are important or that we cannot make a difference, but they are and we must let our voices be heard by attending these meetings. If we do not, the same thing that happened to Mr. Foster will happen to someone else.

As concerned citizens complaining amongst ourselves does not help the situation. In order to bring about change we must be active in our community and in our schools. In addition, the best way to be heard is by voting. If you are not registered to vote, please register. Vote in all elections not just the big ones. The small elections are just as important as the big ones.

To Mr. Alexis Foster, I say “hold on”! Hold on because our God sits high and our God also looks low. We do not know what is in God’s plans. This may have been done but God has a higher plan for you.

Trusting, Believing and Praying,

Joyce A Cosby

North, Va.