April 9, 2009

(Richland School District 1) - Donna McKenna-Crook isn't just a high school drama teacher. She is one of the best high school drama teachers in the Southeast and, possibly, the Nation, as people used to know. She has co-authored an excellent college level Theatre Intro book. Donna has taught at A.C. Flora High School, in Columbia, which used to be one of the great and storied beacons of education. 25 years. She has pioneered so many different modalities (styles of teaching) for drama that people use to come to her from all over the nation to observe her techniques. I say, "used to," and that, too, is part of this story.. which is about Donna McKenna-Crook.

A few years ago, the principal of A.C. Flora was replaced with a person from the Upstate. This person had left his educational administrative post at an upstate public institution after a mighty row. Witnesses, who were muzzled at the time, told this reporter that this person could not get along with his subordinates and may have even screamed at them - I remember reporting on it - and that piece of information was buried deep within his file. However, there are people today who still remember him and his leaving. My sources at Flora say that he has continued with this curious management style in his current position.

Donna McKenna-Crook, who, like most Alabama women, doesn't like being yelled at. In fact, few people in the wide world like to be yelled at. She did not take to his management style. As the few years rolled on, it became clear that she could not invite those who wanted to observe her on a peer-to-peer level for fear that she would be embarrassed by him. And for even a short while, she even stopped coaching student teachers.