Letter: School Board loves its rubber stamps
To the Editor-
We have members on the Stevens Point Area School District Board running for re-election who foolishly think that their role is simply to attend meetings and listen to whatever the school superintendent and school board president feels like telling them.
They have lately been referred to as the “Rubber Stamp Board.” How fitting a name. Incumbents Jeff Ebel (J), Rob Manske (R), Barb Portzen (B), and former educator Dennis Raabe (D) do not want us to question them and have shut us out of meetings to accomplish just that (seven illegally closed meetings to the public in the past year and no committee meetings for the past two years). J – R – B – D “Just a Really Bad Decision.”
Then, when serious situations in our schools arise, they hide behind their locked doors and zoom computers while turning a blind eye and claiming it is not their job to interfere with school administration. Really? These four candidates are ignoring the harm being put on our children. A blatant example is found in a Stevens Point Schools middle school class entitled “Family and Consumer Science.” Graded assignments in this class are forcing students to share answers to questions on very personal aspects of their lives. Imagine these adolescents having to share their personal health data, spiritual beliefs, personal relationships, or feelings about their own self-image.
This is not appropriate for any classroom. It is clear that the administration is allowing wrong, and potentially illegal, curriculum to be taught. Where is the oversight from this school board? Nowhere to be found. If the board can’t use their rubber stamp in a closed board meeting, they don’t want to know. There is a solution to this cancerous mess that the incumbents (JRBD) have allowed to continue.
Parents who care and professionals who have strong leadership abilities to combat this garbage do exist. They are Alex Sommers, Jennifer Bushman, Miguel Campos, and Kari Prokop and have all committed to filling the four open school board seats this spring. They do not own any rubber stamps and understand what the word oversight means. I want you to join me in voting for Sommers, Bushman, Campos, and Prokop for School Board on February 15.
John Hrusovszky
Stevens Point