The Palo Alto School Board backed Superintendent Kevin Skelly as he issued a second apology about his statements in a recent newspaper article to members of the community on Tuesday at the board meeting.

Skelly’s comments about the Palo Alto High School achievement gap in a recent newspaper article drew in criticism on a local and national level.

“I received many comments from staff, and emails from around the country,” Skelly said. “There are comments that caused me to change my thinking on this [issue].”

Skelly formally apologized to the entire community, stating that many had misunderstood his intentions.

“Many who people who read the article felt that I was giving up on kids,” Skelly said. “As I listened, reflected, and learned from these comments, I could understand why people might feel this way and I’m sorry that I gave off that impression.”

The superintendent emphasized his dedication to the education system, and discussed benefits the system could potentially could confer on students of all ages.

To clarify the position of the school board as a whole, Skelly mentioned the board’s commitment to helping every student reach his or her full potential.

“We are committed to excellence for all students no matter what their background is,” Skelly said. “Schools are our hope for the future, they are our hope for social transformation and for students to achieve their potential.”

Board member Barb Mitchell supported Skelly.

“I’d like to thank to thank Dr. Skelly, the board, and the community,” Mitchell said. “We had some good discussions on this yesterday.”

Board members agreed with Mitchell, and showed their support for the open communication throughout the Paly community in regard to the situation.

To see Skelly’s comments, follow this link: Ethnic achievement gap in education can’t be closed, Palo Alto superintendent says.