There’s been a lot of noise around the APS board lately, and I get it, change makes people uncomfortable. But what some folks aren’t saying is that this board has actually been asking the hard questions no one else wanted to ask. And honestly, it’s about time.

For too long, things just got rubber-stamped with little thought. Test scores have been dropping, and no one seemed willing to admit the system wasn’t working. This board is finally pushing back and trying to do what’s best for district, students, and the community — not just what’s easy.

Take the rain garden, for example. It was funded through a grant (still taxpayer money), but there was no plan to maintain it. No volunteers, no budget, and ongoing costs every year. And if it failed? It could’ve cost over $150K just to remove it. That’s not a responsible move, and the board made the right call.

What’s frustrating is how some of them are being attacked personally, and let’s be real, most of it’s not even about policy. It’s about who they are. That kind of behavior has no place in our schools or community.

If you’re unsure where you stand, go talk to the board members yourself one on one, and I am sure you will see they are making the right decisions. Don’t just go by what you see online or letters to the editor.

Because here’s the thing: the people doing the most criticizing aren’t telling the whole story. Get the facts before you decide who’s really looking out for our kids.

Brynne Fairbanks

Ossineke