Is this the best we can do for the children of Chesterfield County?

Dr. Christopher Ballenger

I have saved the least qualified candidate for last, Christopher Ballenger.   Ballenger is currently the Wayne County Public School System Superintendent in Front Royal, Virginia.

Ballenger’s work history specifications are sketchy, but here is what I have put together.

Superintendent, Wayne County Public School System, Wayne County, Virginia, from 2020 to present.

During his 13 years at the Jennings Public School in Oklahoma, he served as Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Physical Education Teacher, Coach, athletic director, and Teacher/Principal.  No mention is given to how long he held each position, but it is highly suspect when one does not mention the time, he was Superintendent, or other positions.

No other employment history is available that I could find, which is very disturbing to me.

During his tenure at the Wayne County Public School System, the system’s performance has been dismal at best. As reported by the Education Recovery Scorecard organization, proficiency in reading has been on a death spiral since 2021. Math results have not even been reported by this organization or the Virginia Department of Education, School Quality Profile reports. These are all documented, and I have no problem providing the sources.

If this horrendous performance is not enough to disqualify Ballenger for the position of Chesterfield County School District Superintendent, my research has revealed a few more shocking items.

Three very troubling issues have emerged during his tenure at the Warren County School District.

1. His handling of reported incidents surfaced. On at least two occasions, pre-kindergarten children were abused, but Ballenger showed a lack of transparency and failed to take prompt action when knowledge of these incidents became available.  The unlicensed teacher who committed these acts has been indicted on six counts of harming children.  Parents in the community went as far as to circulate a petition calling for his removal, citing perceived disregard of student safety and teacher support.
2. The same group of parents included in this petition believes that a problem with communication in the system exists. Ballenger required all complaints to go through him, allowing him to determine the ones he felt should be investigated.
3. It was reported that special education students were being subjected to bullying, harassment, and trauma. Ballinger was accused of not acting on these complaints
4. Finally, in September 2023, the system’s teachers expressed a lack of confidence in Ballenger’s leadership to the school board. The teachers felt they were in survival mode, which was supported by high turnover among system professionals.

Last year, Ballenger was a candidate for the Laurens County School District 55, South Carolina Superintendent’s position.  He was not offered the job.  Our fellow South Carolinians in Laurens County saw who Ballenger was and determined he should never be a school superintendent in their county.  The Chesterfield County School District Board of Education should come to the same conclusion.