Wake up, Cortez! We have a rogue RE-1 school board that is acting beyond its scope, undermining teachers, micromanaging administrative decisions, censoring curriculum, making capricious public health decisions that affect all our students, disregarding state statutes for public meetings, steamrolling dissenting viewpoints as they discourage diversity of opinion, and ousting school board members who do not conform to their restrictive agenda.

Additionally, it appears that they hired a superintendent and then put a muzzle on her. They are making decisions that should be made by the superintendent, for example, the recent decision to call an emergency vote before any on-line learning mandate is issued. In short, it’s an abuse of power by five people. Two of the incumbents – Sheri Noyes and Cody Wells – did not even respond to The Journal’s questions about their objectives as a school board member.

Ask any teacher and you will hear that morale is at an all time low. There’s a reason for our critical teacher shortage: low pay, lack of administrative support and systemic distrust of teachers. Add to the mix a busybody school board meddling in complex issues beyond their ability to comprehend.

Can the district survive this board? A school board election is coming up Nov. 2; all but one of these candidates is running unopposed. However, you can let your voice be heard by returning a blank ballot as a protest to these shenanigans. Better yet, pay attention and get involved.

Wendy Watkins and Paul Koops

Cortez