SCHOOLS: Putting vote in perspective

I want to remind Beate Schevalier that the recent school board election was for only two of the five zones so the "will of the voters" only applied to the people of two zones. Those of us in Zone 1 have for years elected board members who posses pro-education views, support the outstanding District Administration and the highly qualified teaching staff and who refrain from bringing a single issue agenda to their elected position.

For 12 years on the School Board, Wanda Quinn did a commendable job of representing all citizens of District 271, especially those of Zone 1, in a very positive and capable manner. She is a most effective leader and will add great strength to the Board and the District. When she left the Board in 2006, Edie Brooks, who continued as a worthy successor on the Zone 1 seat, having previously represented Zone 4 from 1996 to 2004. Zones 4 and 5 also are represented by two outstanding education-supportive Board members, elected by their constituents.

Thus the election of Mr. Hamilton and Mrs. Seymour by the voters only represents two-fifths of the constituents of the District, not even the majority, and those elections were won by slim margins. I do not call that a mandate.

Since the appointment of Wanda Quinn was to replace Ms. Brooks for the balance of her term, I believe that it would have been a sham and unthinkable to have replaced Ms. Brooks with anyone but a like-minded successor to represent Zone 1.

District 271 educates 10,000 students with diverse needs, and employs a staff of 1,200. Running a district of this size is a great responsibility and certainly not an easy job. There are no easy fixes and it takes astute individuals to discern what is most in the interest of our students as they move ahead into a very complex world. Our district has to prepare them to participate in that complex world.

I am confident that Mr. Hamilton and Ms. Seymour, as they learn all of the complexities, will also become positive supporters of the District Administration, of the teaching staff, and of the wonderful, enlighted and critical thinkers that are the students of our District, and will help provide an important united voice of the Board towards outstanding public school education in our school district.

GRACE LUSK

Coeur d'Alene