Who does the Kennewick School Board answer to? Not its constituents, that’s for sure | Opinion
Hasty KSD board eliminated public
The Kennewick School District board is walking dangerously close to the same line that led to the recall of three directors at the Richland School District.
The meeting on Tuesday morning, where board members passed resolutions opposing two bills in the legislature, was called on a short timeline. They did not listen to the constituents who could attend. Only one person spoke in support; 10 or 12 spoke out strongly against it. Rather than having an honest, timely discussion of this issue with locals, they seem to be moved by outside forces, namely the Washington Policy Center, a conservative, anti-public school think tank. After public comment, Mr. Connor expressed vehement opposition. Ms. Gledhill expressed reservations on the timing of the resolution, not the substance of it.
This meeting was a sham. Short of an emergency, school boards and city councils cannot bring up a new topic and then vote on it at the same meeting. First reading, public input, second reading, public input, discussion and a vote. That’s how it works. The KSD board short-circuited that process.
The lack of open discussion leaves citizens wondering on what basis members made their decisions and suggests that their minds were made up before the meeting started. It was all theater. And the students will suffer the consequences.
Richard Reuther, Kennewick
Richland, please explain yourself
Why would the city of Richland turn off the power (to an account) that has auto bill pay? Why would they turn off the power of an 87-year-old woman in the middle of winter, (Feb 13, 2024) with an outstanding bill of $163? On Dec 28, 2023, I signed my mother up for online bill pay with the City of Richland. (She has carpal tunnel and can no longer write checks.)
I provided the city with her checking account information as well as all the necessary information required on the website. The bill cycle ended on Dec. 26, with a scheduled pay date two weeks later. Apparently, after signing up for auto-pay, the first bill is not automatically paid. Who knew? That was not clear on the website.
On Feb. 13 her power was shut off. I logged onto the website to discover that her bill was automatically scheduled to be paid on Feb. 15 just two days later.
In addition to shutting off her power, she is being charged $50 to reconnect. She has been a customer for 70 years. I simply don’t understand how this can happen.
Vickie Bigelow, Richland
Woman of Year: It’s a joy to serve
Last Monday evening, I was honored to be recognized as Kennewick Woman of the Year. It was very unexpected, but I’m especially honored to have our community recognize my work at B5 and the people our organization walks alongside every day. For 15 years, B5 has been working to equip newcomer refugee families to overcome the language and cultural barriers that might keep them from thriving here, while also learning from the richness of their cultures. It’s been our joy to serve them with the dignity and respect that others have tried to strip from their lives.
We Americans are privileged to live in a country and a community that offers refuge to people from all over the world who are fleeing war and persecution. With the many conflicts continuing to happen throughout the world, the opportunity to be a place of refuge for those whose lives have been uprooted due to no fault of their own is greater than ever. I invite you to check out our website to see how you might get involved (thiveatb5.org), and I look forward to the day when someone who has been welcomed into our community through the help of B5 will be honored as the Kennewick Woman or Man of the Year.
Theresa Roosendall, Kennewick
Trump and Biden didn’t do the same thing
A recent letter to the editor misconstrued the facts about Trump and Bien’s handling of classified documents.
According to NBC News: “The National Archives contacted Trump officials soon after he left office in 2021 to inform them that the agency believed some documents were missing .... Trump sent 15 boxes to archives. Later it was found Trump had more documents — and turned over several, including 38 classified. The FBI learned Trump had not fully complied with a subpoena” and with a search warrant for Mar-a-Largo, found over 100 documents marked secret and top secret in storage room and in Trump’s office.
In Biden’s case, National Archives was unaware of missing documents.. White House counsel’s office notified the Archives on the day records were found, and officials there collected them the following day. Perhaps them and us might refer to respect and care for and of our country.
Dorothy Rawson, Pasco
Congress: Get funding to Ukraine
The people in Ukraine are fighting and dying to keep their country free from Russian aggression. In fact, they are fighting our fight and spilling their blood on our behalf. The situation is urgent for both Ukraine and Israel. They desperately need the support of democracies across the globe, and they’re earning it with their blood, determination and treasure. And you’re taking a two-week vacation? Congresswoman Rogers, Congressman Newhouse, I have but one polite request of you: Get yourself back to Washington, D.C., and get to work. If it takes new leadership in the House — again — so be it. You know the right thing to do. Just do it.
Kirk Williamson, Kennewick
Help Ukraine stop Russian attacks
I have a stake in Ukraine’s fight to end Russia’s appetite for empire-building. I don’t want my son-in-law’s battalion sent into a European battle zone.
We must quickly send far more ammunition and arms to Ukraine if we are to effectively delay our troops being sent into active battle. Trump’s recent instruction to reject a bill with vital aid to Ukraine further makes clear his support for dictator Putin.
When Republicans knowingly did Trump’s insane bidding during COVID, it cost perhaps hundreds of thousands of American lives unnecessarily. He doesn’t care about our lives, only himself. We must reject the appeasers who would support a path that lets Russia crush our eastern European allies one at a time.
Appeasers under the banner of “America First” (quite literally, not figuratively) couldn’t keep us out of WWII. Republicans are naively and tragically covering Trump’s bet that he can keep America out of war by withdrawing from NATO.
Our battle against Russia is now being waged with Ukrainian blood. The arms we’ve sent kept Russia out of Kiev. America comes first only when we stand with allies. Russia must be forced out of every corner of Ukraine. Slava Ukraine
Ivar Husa, Richland
Black expression important to us all
In the Tri-Cities, I’ve been given a profusion of rooms and fields to augment my black authenticity, sharing my candidness and black experiences with the community through workshops, short readings, a column in Tumbleweird and stories in Taylored Living Magazine Company.
Detailing the significance of black history, black hair, black style, and so forth. In other words, elaborating on the things that black individuals have done to impact and better shape the community. In order for us to feel acknowledged and heard. But most of all with the writing workshops, I’ve taught others how to write in a way that makes people feel as though they’re flying or walking on the moon as they imagine, daydream and have flashbacks about the characters.
With their pen and paper, vocalizing uncensored and unfiltered perspectives among the actuality of what the reality has become. Bringing a different world to light, offering a safety net and comfortable nest that is filled with the presence of being unapologetically you. In ways that others have never even been able to fathom or figure.
Anyla McDonald, Walla Walla