Let’s Protect the Democratic Process
Contributed by Dianne K Shibe
As I have knocked on doors in District 6 to let my neighbors know I’m running for School Board, I’ve learned a lot, had some good laughs, and was introduced to plenty of dogs, a pot belled pig, and even a collection of birds! People are very enthusiastic about our campaign, and they have generously given me produce from their gardens, dollars for our campaign, and even a high-tech security doorbell.
I am surprised how many are aware of the issues with the current Board and are interested in change. They tell me they are tired of the Board making sweeping changes in policy that affect the relationships between staff, students, and parents and fail to show the respect their constituents deserve by providing reasoning for their decisions.
How are we to know whether our elected officials are using sound reasoning if they refuse to explain themselves?
The Board is not listening to the community. They propose policy changes, but after a myriad of people protest the changes, the policies pass without even one amendment or explanation as to why.The District 7 board member has attempted to offer amendments to the policies but is not even afforded a “second” from any of the other 6 members so the board can have a discussion and he can be allowed to represent his own district. This board is silencing his voice and too many others.
Many people I talk to have heard what happened during the September 16th Board meeting when they proposed a policy to remove the Student Advisor from the dais. Let me emphasize it was PROPOSED, not voted on! Yet they had already relegated the student to sitting in the audience rather than on the dais.
The Student Advisor would now only be able to give a brief report. No longer would a student be on the dais and discuss issues with the Board which had been the practice since 1979!
The vote to remove the representative was set for 3 weeks later. Yet they had already enacted it!
When District 7 board member wished to amend the policy to prevent the removal of the student, the amendment died, yet again, for lack of a second which meant there would be no discussion. They removed the student without the policy even coming up for a vote!
Another voice silenced.
No reason given.
The students fought back. On September 6th, they showed up in yellow shirts and gave eloquent speeches asking the board to restore their representative to the dais—to no avail. The students would no longer have a voice on the dais that they had enjoyed for the past 44 years.
Another voice silenced.
When the student representative asked the board why he was removed--even before the vote had taken place—the board sat silent and refused him the dignity of a response. Amazingly, in the weeks that followed, the board instructed the administration to interrogate the students one-by-one who had come forward to make speeches. They pulled them out of their classrooms without representation or parent notification and grilled them about who or what influenced their testimony and where they got the resources to print up their protest signs. It was clear the board did not want to hear any opposition to their decisions.
More voices silenced.
When I am on the Board, I will demand that we adhere to the democratic process: propose policy changes, LISTEN to the community, make appropriate amendments, EXPLAIN ourselves, and WAIT to implement changes until AFTER the vote. AND no more silencing dissenting voices!
Dianne K. Shibe
Candidate for Mat-Su School Board District 6