This is an open letter to taxpayers and parents in Ripley:

Having spent a career teaching and coaching at Ripley Central, I’m disappointed that my two whistleblower books investigating/documenting the school’s leadership problems have apparently not had a meaningful effect on the residents of Ripley. While the community’s response has been personally very rewarding to me, my objective has not been met.

The point of the books was to inform the Ripley citizens about a 20-year history of school board nepotism, cronyism, a two-tiered justice system and multiple episodes of wasting taxpayer dollars. My objective was to encourage new candidates to run for the school board. That hasn’t happened as two 25-year incumbents ran for re-election last spring UNOPPOSED for office.

My last book, “Killing Ripley II” disclosed that the last three superintendents were hired “in-house” without a candidate search; the taxpayers will be paying more than $2 million for lifetime health/prescription insurance premiums for four administrators and a school board secretary, and a board member’s daughter and a principal were employed without the required state certification, I expected the citizens of Ripley would rise up! They didn’t.

When I disclosed that prior to the community voting/approving the tuition of grades seven to 12 to Chautauqua Lake Central School for financial reasons, the district had failed to inform taxpayers about an estimated $1,900,000 in its coffers, about elementary class sizes of eight students per teacher and audit reports revealing bloated reserve accounts, I was sure then: the people of Ripley would be heard! They stood mute.

I then revealed a history of declining student state test scores; a teaching staff that was often required by administrative policies to change teaching strategies and methods; teachers flying to San Diego and traveling to Detroit to learn how minorities are taught. Now a trip to Finland is planned. If the school happens to enroll any African-Americans, Mexicans or Finns, the staff will be ready for them.

I was certain the community would never stand for that! They have.

I revealed that the championship wrestling program had violated so many state athletic rules that the school was put on athletic probation; an investigation by the Teachers’ Retirement System uncovered a potential $500,000 pension padding; an individual began a school board meeting as the board president and emerged from it as the superintendent with a very lucrative signed contract; and union leaders becoming administrative targets if they dare enforce the labor agreement.

I consoled myself that finally, finally the citizens of Ripley will have had enough! Apparently they haven’t.

If the community has spoken, their message is this, “We’re OK with our school board wasting our tax dollars and our kids not learning.”

Laws, rules and regulations often ignored; freedom of information requests intentionally delayed; special benefits and employment given to a select group of “friends and family”; the tuition deal not “shopped” to other schools; a dual track system of justice provided for a select few. The list goes on and on.

Apparently Ripley taxpayers and parents are not easily offended. No signs in yards, no protests at school board meetings, no “letters to the editor.” No clear indication that anyone other than Wanda Bentley and her friends have even noticed the many issues and problems of the school board.

Now the district is dealing with an almost unanimous faculty vote of “No Confidence” given to the superintendent.

I personally don’t think the staff went far enough!

School board members have a statutory requirement to represent parents in the best interests of their children’s education and to do so in a financially responsible manner for all taxpayers.

My book says, “That’s not happening in Ripley, New York!”

Jeffery Buchholz is a retired teacher, coach and teacher union president. He lives in North East, Pa.