If anything, people are talking. Finally. About school board elections where usually only 10% to 12% of eligible voters decide what goes on in our local schools. And in Durango, we are getting a lot of retirees and fewer families with kids. But this election could see a real uptick in the number of those eligible voters. This is an opportunity for all of us to wake up and take back the wheel of where we want our schools to go.
We have to ask the question: What is our vision of what we want our school to be? Do we have a common vision? It appears not.
School boards are supposed to represent the public interest. Supposed to be nonpartisan, they work with, and for their community. They are to set a vision, representing a community, advance policies, demonstrate accountability and provide a leadership role in the community. They are to listen to and respond to a community’s concerns and explain priorities to us. They are to forge a consensus, reconcile differences all for one reason and one reason only: for our students.
You can vote for a progressive slate of candidates. Or you can vote for a more conservative slate, including Kristine Paslay, Richard “Dean” Hill and Donna Gulec, that wants to listen to, respond, communicate and build academic excellence, transparency and accountability, in all areas.
For all who have run, we at least need to say thank you for caring enough about our kids to make our schools and our future all that it can be.
Carol Lewin
Durango
