Letters to the Editor

I have lived for 45 years on the banks of the McKenzie River, and therefore witnessed, and voted in, dozens of local elections for school boards, school levies, fire district boards, and fire district levies.

Fortunately, I have never witnessed anything remotely resembling the refusal of one half of the candidates to attend the candidate forum sponsored by the McKenzie Education Association. Ironically, the no-shows each trumpeted their commitment to “transparency” in the Voters’ Pamphlet. I have never equated a refusal to appear with transparency. At the forum, candidates had the opportunity to respond to 6 rather simple, yet appropriate, questions distributed to the candidates. Yet Kail Harbick, Taya Brock, Max Metcalfe, and Justin Barker did not appear. In their refusals, they turned their back to the students, the staff, the parents, and the voters of the McKenzie Schools. In my judgment these stealth candidates are not fit for service on the school board.

David Jensen

Walterville