Thank you to the APS Board for finally bringing some accountability and common sense back to our schools.

First, thank you for hiring Goodrich — a reliable, local business that actually gets the job done. It’s about time we supported people who live, work, and invest in our own community, not outsiders with padded bids and poor results.

Thank you for shutting down the ridiculous “rain garden” idea. It was pitched as “fully funded” — with taxpayer dollars — but had zero plans for upkeep and no one assigned to maintain it. We’ve already seen what that looks like with the overgrown mess at Ella White.

Thank you for calling out the dress code issue. It’s been ignored for years. If we’re serious about preparing students for real life, they need to start by learning how to dress the part.

Thank you for exposing the fact that the district’s legal team hasn’t been reviewed in over eight years. Thousands of dollars spent, and not one comparison or evaluation? That’s negligence, plain and simple.

And most of all, thank you for standing up for the rights of young women in our schools. Ignore the angry noise — threats, insults, and smear campaigns come from fear. You were elected by the majority. Keep doing the right thing. A lot more of us are behind you than you think.

TERESA SMITH

Alpena