"I did okay" part 'doh!'
|
|
October 11, 2013 |
By Mike Weland
On October 8, I wrote an editorial that began, "There is an obvious theory rampant in Boundary
County that an elite cabal controls Bonners
Ferry Badger sports, and the school board of
trustees is unaware or in cahoots."
I've had people ask me my point, because as they
read, the narrative dwindled to nothing.
I apologize. It had been a long night, and I am
finding that I most often unwisely refuse to
accept that I no longer have the stamina to
carry a thought to conclusion.
I am apt to slip from what I meant to say, which
may be hard, into something easy. In so doing, I
let down not only myself, but those who take
time to read.
I'll attempt to atone, and try to do so without
violating the confidentiality of my position as
an elected member of the school board.
I speak only for myself.
I have come to be astonished that so much of the
school board's time has been dedicated to
fretting over who should coach a team rather
than who should teach a class.
I have been astonished how many times I've
heard, from multiple sources, that the roots of
problems can be traced to a coach's decision,
often long past, to cut a student athlete from a
team or game.
I'm astonished, and I begin to understand why
our local school board members are unable to
focus on issues of importance ... we are
obligated and bound by duty to hear what you
say.
We don't work in a vacuum; we serve you as best
we can in accordance with law.
If you demand our time to consider decisions on
who coaches whom, which coach offends whom or
which athlete a coach sent a player to the
sideline, we have to listen. And we can't often
give a quick and easy answer; personnel matters
are protected.
Sometimes, a good coach has to make a hard
decision. Often that decision is not popular.
At it's last meeting, the school board heard in
executive session the pleas of two people for
consideration and justice regarding the board's
coaching decisions.
I can tell you that each member of the school
board gave full hearing.
I've come to learn the lengths this board goes
to to give fair hearing to all ... regardless of
topic. Chair Melanie Staples is ever willing to
listen, even when, by law, we don't have to.
No member of the board, in my short tenure, has
argued.
And over and over we hear, "There is an obvious theory rampant in Boundary
County that an elite cabal controls Bonners
Ferry Badger sports, and the school board of
trustees is unaware or in cahoots."
Speaking for myself, that allegation is painful,
and I refute it at every opportunity. I will
hear, but I will not be told how to think.
As a school board trustee, I feel that I am
obligated to listen to anyone; teachers, parents
or students, who would take the time to share a
point of view, and I've become convinced that
each board member I serve with feels the same.
We listen, we hear. Most often, we hear of
potential issues before anyone else, and know
what is being done. We trust our administrators
and principals. We have good people working on
our behalf, and our students have great and
dedicated people working for them, in class and
out.
There are things we can't say as board members,
and it is a frustration to hear argument ad
infinitum that we aren't listening.
I can only speak for myself, but it's my thought
that no cabal could take control ... others
would listen, hear and speak out ... and they'd
take time out of all they do to come tell us
their side of the story.
It's a little bit funny. I'm so new I've heard
very little from the alleged cabal, and much
more from those who tell me I shouldn't listen
to them; that they don't speak for everyone.
As a school board trustee, I will ever do my
best to hear anyone who'd speak, and I am
confident that I'm not the only board member so
dedicated.
I get a tad upset when I'm told that I should
not give everyone equal opportunity to speak,
and I get terribly disappointed when I'm accused
of making a decision on behalf of anyone just
because of who they are.
I am in a position of trust as an elected
trustee. Election did not empower me or make me
wise.
I gained no mandate, I get no pay.
Personally, I am grateful for the alleged
"cabal," no matter their motive or reason. I am
grateful, too, of those who challenge; who take
time to present a different point of view.
Without fair and sometimes vociferous argument,
decisions might become easy.
That would be called a dictatorship. |
|
Questions or comments about this
article?
Click here to e-mail! |
|
|
|
|
