Recently, I read with interest two Letters to the Editor… one expressing “thanks” for electing certain, current members of our local school board as advocates for a particular political persuasion. The second letter admonished folks for “getting what we got” and chronicled a number of very specific “at what cost” issues which several members of our APS School Board have publicly advocated and/or approved.

Without going into the details of the specifics of each of these several matters which the second letter identified, each appears to raise considerable concern financially, ethically, and legally. Indeed, IF these are the sort of priorities which the recently elected majority of our local board prioritizes as their areas for focus, I must wonder where students and their educational process fits into their decision making?

Finally, I have no particular interest in debating someone’s personal, political persuasions in this letter. But, when elected to a non-partisan, public position of such significance, I would expect that such personal positions be put on the back burner. Yes… a reminder… as an elected member of a school board, every member must adhere to a very specific set of State of Michigan legal requirements that govern all school boards and ALL its members. To this end, it will be worth the time of all voters in the APS District to watch and evaluate what this board does in the coming weeks and months that moves the entire APS District ahead in a positive, educational direction for the benefit of our entire community, and most importantly, its students!

DON NEWPORT

Alpena