Wow! A Bad Government Sequel
Source: Bozeman Daily Commicle Monday May 3, 2010. Page A6, Letters:
“Deeply disappointed by Willow Creek’s choice
This is in response to ‘Willow Creek picks new superintendent’ by Gail Schontzler on April 15.
My wife and I and other public attended the school board meetings to select a new superintendent. We are deeply disappointed in teh board’s selection of Bonnie Lower only because it was done on the basis of subjective criteria; i.e., per the April 15th Chronicle article quoting the chairman, ‘We had four excellent candidates.’ We liked ‘her enthusiasm, her passion for the school.’ ‘Her roots helped a lot. We knew her family.’ All the candidates were enthusiastic about education. The difference was that the other candidates had more years experience in administration, and numerous letters of recommendation.
Let’s examine the board chairman’s statement, ‘We had four excellent candidates.’ In fact, we had three excellent candidates based on credentials, plus the board’s choice. At the very first meeting, the board announced the first three finalists, adding the fourth this way, ‘and of course, Bonnie.’ What? Why? The only reasonable interpretation of this development was that they had long since decided on Bonnie, which at the time was unknowable by the public. Bonnie’s application, by normal evaluation standards, wasn’t in the ‘top’ four.
Why didn’t the board begin the first meeting with their definition of a ‘qualified applicant’ and follow this with comments by the public and teachers present, and then make their choices? Parents and teachers expect the board to have standards. We talk about values in the classroom. Why not at a board meeting?
Glenn and Shirley Smith
Bozeman”
(Well said. It’s as if the Smith’s were writing about Skippy’s ascension to the Gallatin Field throne! Obviously, bad government is not limited to airport authorities. –Ed.)