My name is Dave Paul. I am an 18 year resident of Post Falls and am running for School Board Trustee in Zone 1. Writing the Editor is not something I would normally do, but after reading a column and an article written by my opponent’s husband I was compelled to do so.

Mr. Jeff Ward and the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans (KCRR) are doing everything they can to infuse partisan politics into school board elections. Partisan politics and the tactics of KCRR have no place in school board elections.

Mr. Ward nor any member of the KCRR has ever met me nor have they tried to contact me. They try to label every non-KCRR as a member of the national Democrat coalition. They label every non-KCRR as representing the union and not the citizens and the taxpayers. They label every non-KCRR candidate as a rubber stamp for the union. Mr. Ward falsely attacked an outstanding teacher in Post Falls simply in an attempt to control school board elections. He says he supports an independent school board at the same time he seeks money for the Reagan Republican Victory Fund for KCRR candidates in every school board election in Kootenai County. Does anyone really believe a KCRR-run school district would be independent?

We need a board of trustees that can work with the administration, work with our teachers and the community to collectively strive every day to provide the very best educational opportunity for ALL the children of Post Falls. We do need an independent board.

I would encourage Mr. Ward and anyone else to get to know the candidates before they label them. Check our records and see how hard some of us have worked to improve our public schools. I personally have worked hard to ensure that our district makes solid and timely decisions with regards to academic and teacher performance. I have worked hard to ensure our schools are safe but at the same time that they create a positive learning environment for all kids. No-one should fall through the cracks. I have worked hard to ensure the district is fiscally responsible and is a good steward of tax payer dollars. I am proud of Post Falls and the District.

I have never rubber stamped anything in my life and if someone really cared about our schools and our kids they would do some research before writing these articles and columns. I grew up on a small farm in North Dakota with 9 brothers and sisters. I worked multiple jobs to put myself through college and graduated in 4 years (with honors) with a Bachelor of Science in economics. I have 32 years of experience in the business world. I have managed offices in Billings, Montana, Minneapolis, and here in the Northwest. I successfully worked in the public and private sectors; I oversaw the dissolution of the largest crop insurance company in the US. I have two USDA Secretarial Honors Awards and I have served on dozens of boards and committees. I have 25 years of professional personnel experience including hiring employees, conducting performance reviews and terminating employment when necessary. And probably most important for this election, I have 2 kids who spent their entire K-12 education in Post Falls; I have 16 years of experience volunteering in the Post Falls school district serving 8 years on the board, serving on PTO’s, strategic planning committees and as a board member of the Post Falls Education Foundation where a dedicated group of volunteers have raised over $430,000 to benefit our schools.

This election should focus on the qualifications of the actual candidates, their experience and backgrounds, and their understanding of what it takes to make schools successful, NOT on whether or not they are a member of certain political party.

Two things I can agree with Mr. Ward on. First, with regards to the emphasis on the conservative voters of Kootenai County, I agree. I believe it would be very hard (in Idaho) to find a school district that is run more conservatively with more educational achievements than Post Falls. I am proud of my involvement with that. Second, I agree that our schools should be managed in the interests of the students, parents and taxpayers. I will let my actions and records speak to that, but I do have to ask Mr. Ward and his wife (my opponent) where they have been over the past 16 years when I have been working hard to make our schools better. I will proudly put my record up against anyone. Whether elected or not, I will continue to work hard to ensure a quality fiscally responsible public education system for ALL kids in the State of Idaho.