It’s important for people to know the candidates for the APS Board of Education and if they understand that:

They must take an oath to support the Constitution.

Their votes will be recorded at alpenaschools.com/district/board-of-education/.

Voting for the new, arbitrary, and experimental agendas and initiatives of one party only is highly partisan, and resisting them, especially when they are anti-science, is quintessentially nonpartisan. Calling your opponent “political” for resisting your political agenda doesn’t make you nonpartisan.

Regarding transgender use of school bathrooms, the APS board didn’t know about the policy, was unsure whether they had voted on it or not, and has not made its voice heard on this issue.

The recent use of persuasive emails, texts, or other “debate” between board members, held away from the public eye, isn’t appropriate under the Open Meetings Act.

If the board approves it, students older than 14 may soon be able to have sensitive medical procedures done in the high school without parental knowledge or consent.

Board oversight of policy is vital for the academic integrity of the district, fairness, and student progress; for example, the recent revelation that the practice of docking students’ grades for absences was expressly forbidden by board policy but had been allowed to go on unchecked by the board.

The National Association of School Boards has apologized for their letter to the Joe Biden administration characterizing parents who complain about school policies as domestic terrorists and now says parents should be consulted in matters concerning children’s health, education, and safety.

Michigan Act 451 of 1976 states that “It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching, and education of their children.”

Make sure you know where the candidates really stand on the issues important to you.

ERIC LAWSON,

Ossineke