EATON — Is state testing “racist” and meaningless?

That is a question Preble County Educational Service Center Superintendent Mike Gray brought up during the board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

The State Report Cards for local schools have been released and Preble County schools did not do well, accoridng to officials. While the ESC does not get a report card, Superintendent Gray did update the board on the matter.

“I gave you a handout. There has been a lot of talk about the report cards and how meaningless they are, I think,” he said. “We’re trying to do away, maybe, with the grades. If you look down to the bottom of the page there is a lot of that. Even the third paragraph from the bottom they’re talking ‘borderline racist.’

“I think you can ask a lot of the superintendents across the area how many times they have gotten a question about the grade card and most of them will tell you zero.”

In other business:

•ESC Alternative School Principal Brent Short reported next month he will share more information on recently implemented programs.

•According to Preschool Supervisor Debby Barnett, the preschool participation in the Pork Festival parade was a success and something they will continue to do.

“It was great. We did wagons and strollers — some walked and rode their bikes. It was fun. We will do it again for sure, everybody enjoyed it,” she said. “It was great marketing too.”

•The board approved Theresa Haubach as Administrative Sectretary for the 2017-2018 school year.

•The board approved Jamar Hargrove, Greg Ingram, and Sam Nauroth as student workers for the 2017-2018 school year.

The next ESC regular meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m.