Reader critical of criticism against school officials

I would like to commend one of the best school boards that Boundary County has ever had.

All school boards are not the same and we are lucky to have such a dedicated, intelligent and well-rounded group of volunteers to run one of our county's most complex and important institutions.

It is frustrating that a citizen, who sat in the back of a board meeting and couldn't hear the board members, choose to file a legal complaint that they were being secretive rather than moving to the front to hear better. The board now faces possible future fines.

Pulling statistics off the computer isn't as easy and straight foward as it seems, which became obvious when some fairly new residents to our area chose to file a lawsuit against the school board over the board's decision to seek an emergency school levy this fall. They spread false information and their actions actually caused our taxes to rise while wasting our tax dollars.

Each time we face a school levy, seemingly intelligent people expend a great deal of energy, time and words trying to defeat it for reasons that have nothing to do with the actual levy. It is not intelligent to hurt the very people you claim to be an advocate for just to "send the administration a message."

Uncaring teachers, inept administrators, looming health disasters….the negativity is growing more than weary and is self defeating.

Blaming the school district for icy roads in the winter, children exhausted and hungry because of an extra hour added to their school day and desperate moose trying to cross a highway is ridiculous and makes it hard to take someone seriously. Clogging school board meetings with files of information and then complaining about time restraints is self defeating.

Blaming policy for losing teachers isn't as likely as being grossly underpaid, underappreciated and constantly criticized. We are lucky to have the best teachers inspite of the obstacles.

Accusing our teachers and administrators, many of whom are parents themselves, of neglecting our children beyond comprehension is insulting.

Take a breath, focus and challenge efforts in the right places.

Barbara Russell

Parent of Bonners Ferry High School graduates