Dear Mrs. Kintzley,
Thank you for your comments on KSD Citizens. I invite you to write about any education related issues for publication here. I envision a regular feature from your perspective as a school board member. I would appreciate understanding more about you and your experiences on the board as you grapple with education issues in Kennewick and I believe many others in our community would benefit as well.
While I am not a journalist, I strive to be fair and responsible in representing the issues and persons I write about. My biases are well documented to the readers of this blog. My purpose was not to castigate you but to understand the reasons for your decision to appoint a school board candidate to the interim school board position when exemplary non-candidates were available and willing to do that job. I went directly to the board for additional information.
My opinion of the decision is based on my observations of the process supported by observations of others. In this case, you made the motion to appoint Mr. Brooks and Fielding seconded your motion. With no significant discussion you passed the motion 3 to 1, with Kathy White dissenting.
In reporting about Kennewick School Board meetings since May 12, 2010, I have had numerous opportunities to witness the conduct of board members in decision making. On April 20 of this year, I did see you vote independently of Adams and Fielding and commended you for it. Then on August 17, I saw you reverse that vote.
If you are lumped in with Adams and Fielding it is because of what is observed during school board meetings. There is certainly the appearance of a voting bloc on any significant decision. This has been observed by me and many other people. Additionally, your candidate literature of two years ago further reinforces this idea as you and your relative, Adams, ran as two-for-one candidates creating a vivid impression of solidarity on education issues.
It is my hope you will, in fact, become an independent thinker and decision maker on the Kennewick School Board. When you accept this offer to inform Kennewick citizens about your work on the board, I will no longer have to rely solely on observation.
It’s only a suggestion but for a possible first article you could enlighten the citizens of Kennewick about the recent board decision to appoint a school board candidate to the interim school board position.
I look forward to publishing your featured articles as a community service. See note below.
Sincerely,
Tom Staly
For more information see these links:
http://ksdcitizens.org/2011/08/19/ksd-school-board-triumvirate-responds/
http://ksdcitizens.org/2011/04/21/kennewick-school-board-report-for-april-20/
http://ksdcitizens.org/2011/08/23/kennewick-school-board-report-for-august-17/
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/08/28/1618499/kennewick-should-re-visit-decision.html
Note:
KSD Citizens welcomes all education related, community created original work. Anyone can submit your own article for publication here. Please click on “Write for KSD Citizens” in the right column of the home page to get started.
Tom –
You certainly are a journalist! Kennewick is lucky to have someone who takes the time to peer behind the “wizard’s curtain.” Without journalists like you, we are at the mercy of the mainstream media – and they have no intention of really questioning the establishment. Keep up the questions but don’t be surprised when the “Great and Powerful Oz” tries to flame you!
Remember: he was only a humbug, after all.
- Bob Valiant Jr.
Mr. Valiant, Jr.,
Thank you for your comments.
For the two decades I have been watching Kennewick School business it has been clear the local media have given the school board a pass. Typical school reports have been “feel good” stories which everyone likes and wants to read.
Some believe this has enabled a few school board members to hijack the school district for promoting their own agendas. While the goal may have had merit, the means have been questioned. Some believe the apparent use of school district resources to build a business for a school board member’s benefit has been, if not illegal, certainly unethical. There is a web of connections which has not been fully revealed or well understood.
I commend the Tri-City Herald for hiring Jacques Von Lunen as the new education writer. I have followed Jacques’ stories from his first day and appreciate his research and clarity of presentation. Some stories are feel good but when an issue needs public scrutiny he digs to the core. No longer will school boards operate in the dark.
Sunday’s TCH editorial and this morning’s letters to the editor show that people in Kennewick are paying attention to board business. This can only happen when they are informed.
I feel that KSD Citizens now has an ally monitoring Kennewick School Board conduct.
Further research may finally expose the true nature of the financial relationship between KSD and the foundation funded by the school district. If there has been unethical behavior, Kennewick citizens will decide in November’s school board election whether to end the practice or permit it to stand.