Letters to the Editor

Chance to change the narrative

To the editor,

Teachers, hailed as heroes not even a year ago, are now facing a barrage of complaints and new laws. The national news brings stories of parents accusing teachers of indoctrination, of school boards calling for the burning of books as they did in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and of a political group putting out a bounty to catch teachers covering divisive subjects as was done in New Hampshire late last year.

Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that, according to an National Public Radio news story, more than 50 percent of teachers in the United States have an exit plan.

Given these national trends, there is going to be a high demand for qualified teachers this spring and fall. RSU 21 has been working to make itself more appealing to applicants, starting with raising the salaries so they are more in line with neighboring districts.

RSU 21 should be a desirable location for teachers. But what will potential applicants think when they investigate RSU 21? They will see teacher autonomy and diversity efforts challenged by outside groups like Defending Ed. They will read about a school board meeting disrupted by aggressive anti-maskers. They will see a group of citizens orchestrating a recall on premises that are demonstrably false.

Teachers don’t want to come to a district besieged by divisiveness and controversy. Kennebunk voters have a chance to change that narrative. Vote no on the recall. Then, let’s move forward together collaboratively to make this a district where teachers are clamoring to work.

Megan Blakemore

Kennebunk

Not immune to aggressive approach

To the editor,

The recent display of rudeness, defiance and belligerence towards our all-volunteer RSU 21 school board was deeply upsetting. We continue to see these trends play out nationally, and hoped we would somehow be immune to these bullying and aggressive approaches. It is clear we are not.

Behind a small minority of voters attempting to impose their will through an unjustified and cruel recall election of a valued, hard-working school board member (initially two) — we see connections to record-breaking numbers of school board recalls nationally.

Behind the bitterness and hostility toward our district’s necessary and important diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative — we see connections to the national attempt to try to remove unpleasant truths (racism, the Holocaust) from school curriculums.

And now, behind a small band of angry and aggrieved citizens, unwilling to follow science-based rules the rest of us have respected for the good of our teachers, students and most vulnerable community members — we see connections to those certain that the righteousness of their cause outweighs a need to value order or others’ safety, and we are reminded of the attitudes that made Jan. 6 possible.

Our school boards are under siege — both nationally and here at home. When a leader of last week’s anti-mask outburst (a prominent recall supporter) ran for the school board last June, he was endorsed by the recall leader. If the display at last Monday’s board meeting represents recallers’ vision for reform, we should all be concerned.

One clear thing you can do to support our school district, board and community: vote no on the recall today (absentee or in-person), or by March 29.

Gaby Grekin

Kennebunkport

Deeply disappointed about recall

To the editor,

Like so many others, I share deep disappointment in the upcoming RSU 21 school board recall election. Some may ask why this recall matters — so deeply, and to so many?

Why oppose this recall?

A starting affidavit filled with misleading evidence, subjective opinions, and factual errors of significance;
An effort to target hard-working, dedicated and talented civic volunteers;
Disturbing patterns of those being targeted (including our superintendent);
An endless stream of shifting rationales;
Intentional secrecy over funding sources;
An illogical belief that removing one board member three months before his term ends represents meaningful change — or outweighs the real and painful costs to our community;
Recallers’ unwillingness to acknowledge the legitimate challenge COVID has presented every U.S. district (and our leadership’s commendable job facing those challenges);
The fact that our superintendent has served only during COVID without opportunity to show her potential outside a COVID-environment (while performing impressively within it, especially her strategic and fiscally responsible use of state/federal COVID funds);
A belief that recalls should be reserved for illegal or deviant behavior, not personal preference;
A clear connection to abusive treatment of school boards nationally — and concern about the heightened level of incivility entering our local politics;
A belief that the change and progress our current district leadership promotes is healthy and important for all organizations — especially school districts;
Confusion as to why, if board reform was so vital, recallers didn’t even bother to post a candidate as a replacement;
A belief that civil, engaged and robust debate is possible without resorting to recalls, which are divisive, expensive and distracting;
and confidence that regularly scheduled elections are perfectly sufficient for ensuring the public voice is respected and heard.

Please take a stand against these tactics by voting no on March 29 (or before via early in-person voting or absentee ballot).

Gae Carbone

Kennebunk

Won’t support recall effort

To the editor,

Why are we, in Kennebunk, voting to recall a school board director who has only a couple of months left in his term? Why are we voting to recall someone because of teacher discouragement, when RSU 21 has less attrition than typical in Maine? Why is the purpose of the re-call supposedly about a budget issue that was funded before Mr. Stentiford was even on the board?

The people who started this recall didn’t even put up a replacement candidate. None of this makes sense.

I will not support what seems to be an underhanded effort to achieve I don’t know what. I intend to vote no. And I will also vote yes to support Gayle Spofford, just in case the recall passes. She also thinks this recall is bogus.