Dear Editor:
This year’s ballot has many important races and referendums on the ballot. Among the six state amendments, one is getting little attention. All of us have heard both sides on abortion and legalizing recreational marijuana. Those are both high-profile, and often polarizing issues. Meanwhile Amendment 1 is asking if school board elections should/should not be partisan elections. It is much more far reaching and important.
Before getting elected four times in non-partisan elections from 2002-2018 to the Osceola School Board, my only unsuccessful run in 1998 was a partisan election.
Having been in and out of dozens of schools all over the country, I have never encountered one Republican or Democratic student in an elementary or middle school. Public education in our country is a special place for our children, and should remain that way.
Our public schools, and elected school boards, are no place for partisan politics. Our elected school board members must always put students first. If a board member is elected as a Democrat or Republican there will always be a question regarding the motivation and/ or loyalty of that member. Will they just be a mouthpiece for the party, with party loyalty and dogma the center piece of their elected term?
Our children, country, and community cannot afford anyone getting elected to a school board whose top priority is anything other than students. Public education is the domain of math and reading scores, graduation rates, college matriculation, career training, pre-K, arts education, athletics and the like Beware anyone on any school board that does not put students first, second, and third. Kids cannot vote, and they need elected school board members who do what is in their best interest. I have run in both partisan and non-partisan school board elections. Nonpartisan school board elections allow candidates to have an open mind without having to consider if something does or does not conform to Republican or Democratic priorities.
Vote no on Amendment 1. Keep our schools focused on what is truly important. Children should always supersede party politics—now and forever.
Jay Wheeler
Kissimmee
“Misinformation” and “disinformation” are absurd terms
Dear Editor:
The article titled “Amendment 4: ‘Accurate Information’ vs. ‘Misinformation’” (Oct. 10) was rich with irony, full of “misinformation” itself, which is very often the case with those who are want to bandy this word about. I, for one, am sick to death of the ubiquitous use of the words “misinformation” or “disinformation”. I find that those who invoke it are most likely exceedingly sort on identifying and detailing exactly what they find is false and simply use “misinformation” or “disinformation” as a pejorative euphemism for, “Please believe me, not them” or, “You can trust me, not them” much as authors of this article did. Generally, they fail to identify what it is that they find in their opponents claim is false. Neither do they offer the required evidence to refute their identified opponents claim(s).
Approval of Amendment 4 would be a travesty. “Viability” is not defined and could actually be argued to mean self-sufficient. Think that absurd? It’s well to remember that Roe v. Wade placed increasing restrictions on abortions for pregnancies in the second and third trimesters, but that initial opinion somehow morphed over the years by those who are want to pervert language into legalizing abortion up to the moment of birth. Neither does it take into account what all history has shown is mankind’s inexhaustible ability to reason all manner of evil as good so long as it serves the interest and benefit of the reasoner. None of which, of course, takes counsel of the scientific fact that from the moment of conception exists a unique human life.
I would counsel against the proposed Amendment 4; but, however you vote, please do the research before you vote as you think best and simply reject and give no quarter to those who simply invoke “misinformation” as their argument. Laziness serves no one and generally leads to a life of ruin and lies serve only the father of lies. Something is either true of false. “Misinformation” and “disinformation” are absurd terms. Shame on those who use them.
Mark S. Thompson
St. Cloud
