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By Mike Weland
Next month, Nichele
Whitakker and I are to be sworn in as new
sitting members of
the board of trustees of
Boundary County
School District 101. We are,
officially, elected officials.
A few have pulled me aside
since the election to bid me congratulations,
and I am grateful … but:
I can’t speak for Nichele,
but I received 48 votes to defeat Gil Hagen, who
has served honorably for years, and Liz Sloot,
an honorable contender. I don’t take pride in
winning an election in which a mere four percent
of the registered voters cast ballots. In
District 1, only 108 people cast ballots.
I did not win by mandate,
but by apathy. To be honest, I am scared.
As a reporter, I don’t
believe the public is at fault. As a former
public servant in a terribly thankless position
as county zoning administrator, I know that I’m
in line for brickbats.
I don’t know if I can make
any difference or not, but it’s my sincere
belief that the dull thud of getting whacked in
the head can be alleviated somewhat through
admitting, “I don’t know.”
I will depend on the
administrators to give me sound advice, but I
cannot feel obligated to blindly accept that
advice until the people I’ve been elected to
represent have in hand the same public
information to which I’m entitled, and the
opportunity to talk.
I may not vote your way,
but I will do my best to tell you all I can
about those issues I’m called to vote on.
I went to an Idaho State
School Board Association meeting last week. I
learned not much. I will not blindly hear the
NEA, the teacher’s union, either.
“Your primary
responsibility is always to the student,” we
were told. “Hire a good Superintendent and a
solid administration, and heed their advice.”
While that concept appears
sound, I think it’s bass ackwards. I recall my
days as a student, and remember the teachers who
motivated me. To the best of my recollection, I
never knew what a principal or superintendent
really did. When my superintendent subbed my
class when the teacher got hurt, it was an easy
skip day.
I wasn't an ideal student.
Not to compare myself, but neither was Albert
Einstein.
As newly elected
“official,” I willingly confess my ignorance.
I need to hear from the people footing
the bill to know what to do … and I confess that
I’m not smart enough to make decisions involving
your kids or our future without asking your
help.
I’ve been congratulated;
but I think condolences may have been more
appropriate. I may run afoul of the status quo,
but I will ever argue that this school district
has succeeded so well thanks to the quality of
its teachers, cooks and janitors.
When I am privileged to
write a student success story, I’ve not yet
heard mention yet of a board inspiring, nor an
administrator.
I have no idea whatever if
I can be a help or hindrance, not when a mere
four percent of the public I’ve been elected to
serve cast a ballot. I’ll do what I can, and
I’ll measure success by turnout at the next
election.
Not a “special” election,
either.
Voters should not be called
upon to make a special trip to the polls for a
school board election. That speaks of duplicity
and guile and explains why there is such little
faith in this county's school board
You deserve us to explain
why we ask for what we do and to play a
meaningful part in the process. If we, whom you
elected to serve you, offer less, we deserve to
be unseated.
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