EDITORIAL: Larry Jackson made difference in education

Larry Jackson first toyed with the idea of retiring as Florence School District 1’s superintendent two years ago. Luckily for taxpayers in Florence and the school district, Jackson changed his mind.

The native Florentine stayed until announcing last week this would his final year in the extremely stressful and difficult role. This time, he said, there’s no chance he will change his mind.

“I will not have another Brett Favre moment,” Jackson said, referring to the NFL quarterback who retired twice before deciding at the last minute to resume his playing career. “I’m 100 percent sure this time. It’s time for me to do something else.”

Jackson, who often wears a bow tie and frequently visits schools to be a visible presence in the community, has fought for improvement in Florence schools.

In 2007, the 51-year-old administrator led an unsuccessful attempt to pass a bond referendum for school projects. This year, he proposed a tax increase from the school district to secure the district’s first new construction in more than 14 years.

The decision to raise taxes during a recession was upsetting for some in the community, even though Florence schools desperately need upgrades and even though conservative spending decisions in the past have kept the district on sound financial footing.

The 68-percent increase adds $26 a year to property taxes on a $50,000 home and $78 a year on a $100,000 commercial business. Currently, residents within the district pay $38 on a $50,000 home and $114 on a $100,000 business.

“This is a lightning-rod job,” said Jackson, who told the Morning News he will consider a run for state office among his options after retirement. “It’s like riding a tiger. There always will be criticism of the superintendent. But in accepting the job, I accepted the challenge of victory and defeat.”

Jackson also accepted the challenge of improving performance and test scores. It cannot be done with existing resources. Too many of the district’s 15,000 students have classes in portable classrooms, and too many of the facilities are beyond repair.

The average age of a Florence 1 school was 41 when the school year started. Seven schools have been around more than 50 years, including Royall Elementary, which is the oldest at 60.

Jackson talked with his wife, Sheron Hazel Harrell Jackson, and the district’s board of trustees chairman, S. Porter Stewart, in September about retirement. He did not have a chance to finalize his choice with his wife before she died Sept. 23.

“My daughter (Marquita) is happy with my decision,” Jackson said. “She has seen all the sleepless nights involved with being superintendent.

“I have been called epithets and people have called me and railed against me with racial slurs,” he said. “During the referendum two years ago, people would call me and use the ‘N’ word. How dare you raise my taxes?”

Jackson, who was raised in a single-family home in Florence by a mother with a sixth-grade education, rose through ranks to earn the superintendent’s job. He started working in maintenance and food service more than 30 years ago before becoming a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.

“I never aspired to be the superintendent,” Jackson said. “I wanted to be in charge of personnel, the one in charge of hiring teachers. I think a great education starts with teachers.”

Jackson’s biggest regret upon leaving will be the lack of improvement in academic performance in the district.

“We can do better,” he said. “If I could go back and change one thing, it would be academic performance.”

The district will be faced with a tough decision in replacing Jackson. Should it hire from within or choose a superintendent from out of town, one who comes in without preconceived notions?

“I will miss the students and employees,” Jackson said. “I will not miss the bureaucracy.”

The school district will miss Jackson, who always had the interests of his students and teachers at heart. The Florence success story’s service to community was second to none, and we have a feeling we’ll be hearing big things from him in the future if he decides to run for elected office.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).