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Writers comment on duties of school board, staff
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Wednesday, 09 January 2008
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Letters will be accepted for the Open Forum for publication in the next available issue after receipt. Letters may be sent to Forest Lake Times, P.O. Box 218, Forest Lake, or by e-mail to
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Letters should not exceed 250 words and must be signed with the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Deadline is noon Monday. The newspaper reserves the right to edit letters and assure that rules of libel and good taste are not violated.
Poor Judgment
In the two recent incidents involving the van driver and the community education instructor, the reason the administration gave for not having these individuals submit to background checks was that “it was not required.”
However, current district policy 438 states in Section II B, “The school district specifically reserves any and all rights it may have to conduct background checks regarding current employees, volunteers, or applicants without the consent of such individuals” and in Section III K, “The school district may apply these procedures to other volunteers, independent contractors or student employees as though they were applicants for employment or auxiliary volunteer work.”
It is not the board’s job to micromanage the administration’s every move, which is why policies frequently delegate decisions to the professional judgment of the district.
In choosing not to run background checks on these men and then claiming that they weren’t required, the administration showed poor judgment and an unwillingness to take responsibility.
In light of the harm done to two children and their families, the board needs to exercise its responsibility and hold the superintendent accountable.
After all, a key point brought up at the last board meeting was that the safety of the students in our charge is far more important than any one employee.
Linda Nanko Yeager
Wyoming
EDITOR’S NOTE: The writer was an unsuccessful candidate for school board in the November 2007 election.)
Harm done
In a recent St. Paul Pioneer Press article regarding David Gay’s suggestion that Superintendent Lynn Steenblock be disciplined for his handling of the recent incidents involving a community ed. instructor and a van driver, School Board President Bill Bresin stated, “The board is the one that votes on the policies. If someone is not doing their job, then it is the board, not the superintendent.”
The district failed to provide a safe environment for two of the children in its charge. Considering the harm done to them, the school board should take Bresin’s comments to their logical conclusion and resign.
Charles Scripter
Linwood
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