LETTERS: FOCUS ON STUDENTS, NOT THE AX GRINDERS

To the editor:

I am completing 12 years on the Jackson Board of Education and am not seeking re-election. I am writing this letter as a resident and taxpayer of the Jackson School District, and it is not intended to represent the views of other board members or the district.

A small, yet determined, group of Jackson residents have an ax to grind with the Board of Education and has decided to retaliate by attacking not only individual board members, but the school district in general. The problem is a result of the group's dissatisfaction with the board's decision in the highly publicized prank-gone-bad incident that occurred last year. Although the prank occurred on a weekend and did not take place on school property, when the board learned that one of the students had shown a brief portion of the video at school, the student in question received a suspension both from school and extracurricular activities. All of the students involved has previously been referred to juvenile authorities, and those cases were handled without input from the district.

Unfortunately, allegations and implied threats are beginning to have a negative impact on the school district. The board includes a cross-section from our community. These are not wealthy corporate board members, but people who wanted to try to do something to help our schools. These individuals have volunteered literally hundreds of hours without any compensation. They are generally the same people who are active in their churches, civic organizations and other community programs. Many of these board members are concerned that these personal attacks may be having a negative impact on their reputations in the community. In some cases, board members are worried that these allegations may adversely affect their businesses. Several have indicated privately that they are envious of the board members whose term is nearly over.

The scope of this negative ax-grinding campaign, however, goes well beyond the current board members. The group apparently has decided it can further discredit the school board by getting one of its members elected and by attacking and defeating the proposed bond and levy issues. The ax has now been ground to a razor-sharp edge and is being aimed at the heart of your school. The school board may have been the original target, but now the real victims may be our children.

The bond and levy issues should not be considered as a referendum on the current school board. Board members come and go, and most of the current board will be gone in a few short years. The real question is: What do you believe is in the best interests of the children who are being educated in our school district? The school board obviously feels the district needs to build an addition to the junior high and a new elementary school to handle continuing growth in our district. The board is also suggesting the district needs a levy increase to hire new teachers, furnish and operate the new buildings and improve technology. If you have confidence in the judgment of the people you elected and agree with their recommendations, then vote accordingly. If you disagree and believe they should look at other options, then vote no. What we should not condone, however, are the destructive, negative tactics adopted by a few disgruntled residents who apparently have a very large ax to grind.

JACK H. KNOWLAN JR.

Jackson