Kelly Blanton taught, led, inspired

Dr. Kelly Foster Blanton served as Kern County's 18th Superintendent of Schools. Born on January 12, 1937, he passed away at 87 on Dec. 17. A dedicated educator, his work had a lasting impact on education in Kern County and beyond. Raised in Buttonwillow and Wasco, Blanton's life and career were profoundly shaped by his early experiences in the area.

Blanton lived in farm labor camps and picked cotton alongside his family. Despite the challenges his family faced, his love for learning set him on a path to becoming a transformative figure in education. Blanton earned degrees from Bakersfield College, San Francisco State University, and California State University, Fresno, before pursuing a doctorate at the University of Southern California. Afterward, he returned to Wasco to begin his career in education.

Blanton's journey as an educator started in 1959 when he became a teacher at Wasco's Palm Avenue School. After serving two years in the military, he went back to teaching and took on leadership roles that shaped his career. In 1967, Blanton became the superintendent/principal of Maple Elementary School District, and by 1971, he joined the Kern County Superintendent of Schools office. He was appointed superintendent in 1986, a role he would hold until his retirement in 1999.

During his time as superintendent, Blanton revolutionized education in Kern County. He introduced programs and initiatives that made a significant contribution not just in the county but also on a statewide, national, and even global scale.

One of his most notable accomplishments was the implementation of truancy reduction programs, which helped decrease dropout rates by more than 50 percent. He also championed the creation of The Community Learning Center, a charter school for alternative education students. The center was later renamed in his honor, a testament to his dedication to helping all students succeed.

Blanton believed that education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. "All children can be successful in school," he said. "No child should ever be labeled as a likely failure because of the social, economic, racial, or ethnic characteristics of their families or communities."

This belief drove many of his initiatives, including supporting students with disabilities. He played a key role in developing the MOVE, Mobility Opportunities Via Education, program, which helped students with severe physical disabilities sit, stand and walk. MOVE was eventually translated into at least eight languages and adopted worldwide, including Japan, The Netherlands, Russia, Portugal and Italy. The program continues to operate today.

After retiring in 1999, Blanton didn't stop innovating. Along with his son, he co-founded Epylon, an internet start-up providing eProcurement software to education and government institutions. He also remained active in local organizations, including the Kern Citizens for Effective Local Government and the West Bakersfield Rotary Club.

Blanton once said, "I am a teacher, and I'll always remain a teacher." His legacy lives on through the students he supported, the programs he developed and the educators he inspired.