Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
To the Editor,
What Mr. Hoogendyk seems to be referring to in his letter as “social engineering” most Community-minded people would call “protecting the public health.”
But when he says that it is “incredible” 4 School Board members voted to keep the schools closed, I have to agree.
It is incredible that these School Board members held their ground and voted on the side of the health and welfare of their students, teachers and other School Board employees—thereby limiting Community transmission of the Coronavirus—against all of the public pressure to do otherwise.
This is the kind of leadership a School District needs. The kind where Board members don’t back down when they’ve taken a principled stand for the public good and the safety of their charges.
What a School District doesn’t need is the wholesale turnover of its Board in order to appease a vocal minority of contrarian voters, whose concerns seem to be more fiscal than educational, and apparently have deep enough pockets to fund piles of advertising—including multiple TV ads.
In addition to wondering where all of the money is coming from, it makes you wonder how much time any of these people—Mr. Hoogendyk or the 3 candidates he’s endorsing—have actually spent in local class rooms (virtual or otherwise).
Greg Klein
Wausau East ’77
