Last week, it was announced that Deputy Superintendent for Operations for the Newton County School System, Dennis Carpenter, had accepted a job as Superintendent of the Hickman Mills C-1 School district located in Kansas City, Mo.

From what we can gather, this school system will need a strong leader to turn around its fortunes as an education leader for the children of that community. We believe that Carpenter has the talents and abilities to be a good progressive leader for that community and is up for that tough job.

This ends a period of extreme nastiness and accusations against his character and his family that have not been proven.

Carpenter also has had to endure smears from people who didn't have the courage to use their real names in attacking him.

In the long run, we believe Carpenter will be a stronger leader because of these trials.

We wish Dennis Carpenter and his family the very best.

We encourage those who have participated in this character assassination to put those same energies to positive use as we search for new leadership for the Newton County School System.

The search will be on for a leader who will guide our schools in a way that the education of our children becomes paramount to the success of our future growth and prosperity in Newton County.