Board positions about service, not power
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In reading all the rhetoric lately about the Polson School Board and their behavior (regarding Shawn Hendrickson) I feel a desire to write my feelings. I feel that very little thought goes into the recipients of these board meetings. It goes into the ego of a very few board members. I am not certain that as individuals they are confident enough or care enough to defend their vote.
People do things to their fellow man that are not understandable, maybe the reason being:
1) Embarrassment: A powerful board member may have given as a favor, or promised someone else the position that Shawn had and wanted to retain.
2) Discrimination is entering into the problem. I was taught and believe we are all brothers and sisters — black, white, red, yellow and human.
3) Pride of panic: The board that would force their vote is either too proud or too scared to admit to their reasoning. And yet it can’t be reasonable if you can openly act “without cause.”
I wonder what the other teachers under this board feel about keeping their jobs. Will they too be released or not reemployed “without cause”? It would be very difficult to work under this board, as they have damaged their loyalty and credibility both to the students, the employees, and remember, the taxpayers. Terms should be limited on all boards to cast out the board bullies and keep an eye centered on the real purpose of these boards. By the students’ letters to the editor they are devoted and respectful to Shawn.
I look on the other side of the world today and see killings and suppressive action. This is being done to keep power and money. The despots of these countries give no thought to the people who are inhabitants of these countries, the very people who make these countries possible. These are not democratic governments. Just 60 years ago 500,000 U.S. military men and women gave their lives to keep this a democracy. I shudder to think that we would make any laws that would not give a person the information to set them at rest or to give them an opportunity to make amends.
I was on a board for 12 years; the purpose of the board was to keep irrigating water flowing for the land owners to make a living and keep the cost at a usable level. Keeping the water running was the easiest part, but holding down costs was very difficult and has not been achieved. The interest waned from most members throughout the years. Some of the reasons we brought with us and had on our minds were: power, aggressiveness, pride, prevaricating, do nothings, salary, social status and making sure “I get my water.” We had many good commissioners through those years with a lot of knowledge. We were fortunate enough to get a learned farmer on the board, but as you often see in the powerful/status world, he was not accepted, and his connections and knowledge were not used. Pride shot us in the foot.
PHS, don’t pass up something good.
Beverly Hamel
Dixon
