At the end of December I will leave my job as an editorial writer for USA Today, one of thousands departing the mainstream media. Since I intend to keep writing on education issues I will remain president of the National Education Writers Association until spring when my term expires.

I’ve had a great run with the USA Today editorial page for the last eight years and many good memories of other reporting jobs elsewhere within Gannett. I would not want to re-live the grueling prototype/launch days at USA Today (Yes, I’m old enough to be a “founder”), but I definitely won’t forget them. I volunteered for their severance offer, which based on the number of years I’ve worked there amounts to a decent buyout.

Truth is, I’m ready to go. I’d like one more chapter in my reporting career. There’s an education issue other than the “boy troubles” I want to pursue in depth (involving charter schools; more on that at another time) and hope to persuade some foundations to back me. But I’ll maintain this website/blog about boys falling behind in school. The boys dilemma is only going to get more interesting as the gender gaps we see in college spread into the workforce and affect personal relationships.

You can reach me at richard.whitmire@gmail.com.

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