Letter writers address rude behavior and belligerence at RSU 21 board meeting

Our school boards are under siege nationally and here at home

Last week’s display of rudeness, defiance and belligerence towards our all-volunteer RSU 21 school board was deeply upsetting. We continue to see these trends play out nationally, and hoped we would somehow be immune to these bullying and aggressive approaches. It is clear we are not.

Behind a small minority of voters attempting to impose their will through an unjustified and cruel recall election of a valued, hard-working school board member (initially two) — we see connections to record-breaking numbers of school board recalls nationally.

Behind the bitterness and hostility towards our district’s necessary and important Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative — we see connections to the national attempt to try to remove unpleasant truths (racism, the Holocaust) from school curriculums.

And now, behind a small band of angry and aggrieved citizens, unwilling to follow science-based rules the rest of us have respected for the good of our teachers, students and most vulnerable community members — we see connections to those certain that the righteousness of their cause outweighs a need to value order or others’ safety, and we are reminded of the attitudes that made January 6 possible.

Our school boards are under siege — both nationally and here at home. When a leader of last week’s anti-mask outburst (a prominent recall supporter) ran for the school board last June, he was endorsed by the recall leader. If the display at last Monday’s board meeting represents recallers’ vision for reform, we should all be concerned.

One clear thing you can do to support our school district, board and community: vote NO on the recall today (absentee or in-person), or by March 29.

Gaby Grekin

Kennebunkport

Letter: Poorly behaved parents refused their duty to community

The debacle at the RSU 21 School Board meeting on Feb. 28, when belligerent parents irrationally demanded that the board ignore scientific recommendations, is an example of what happens when a small group decides their truth supersedes the truth of all others. Unwilling to observe the behavior that allows communities to work together for the common good, these people demonstrated a lack of understanding of the difference between personal rights and personal responsibilities.

No one would disagree that we have all been frustrated by the restrictions of living safely in a pandemic, that we have all been inconvenienced and the education and development of our children has been damaged. We all wish the pandemic was over, with the threat fully eliminated by now. Unfortunately, that’s not yet our reality. Many of us are willing to accept that trained public health officials and educators are more qualified to lead us and to make these difficult decisions than poorly behaved parents.

This same behavior and mentality have forced us into an unnecessary recall election supported by untruth, subterfuge and incivility, and made it harder to get qualified people to serve the community.

Let’s return to more civil and respectful debate regarding our school district. Please vote NO on the March 29 recall.

Rev. Jim Anderson

Kennebunk

Letter: What's really at stake March 29

On March 29, voters will be asked where they stand: are Equity, Diversity and Inclusion fundamental to democratic governance or not?

What values will Kennebunk choose for its children? That all people matter – or not? That equal rights and protection are for all – or just some? This is not just about who leads. It’s a choice between democracy and autocracy.

This is no small town skirmish. A larger battle rages in our country. School boards in every state are being targeted by those quietly seeking local power to push their anti-democratic agendas, by whatever means necessary.

If we allow these fabricated personal attacks and disinformation campaigns to disrupt the lives and end the tenure of school board directors like Tim Stentiford, the qualified problem solvers we need to attract and retain on our town boards in the future will think twice about running.

Your NO vote on this recall is of extraordinary importance, if we are to insist on civility, transparency and an unfailing regard for facts to address our problems and bring covert issues to the surface where we can effectively deal with them.

Also crucial is your YES vote for replacement, Gayle Spofford. Should there be an organized campaign to write in a “mystery candidate,” one voters would not back if they could educate themselves about the candidate’s views prior to the election, your support for Gayle would preempt such anti-democratic tactics. Gayle, like Tim, has demonstrated her commitment to insuring the values we choose to teach our children are universal ones.

Circle March 29 on your calendar, or request an absentee ballot from the town clerk now. Vote NO on the Recall. YES for Gail Spofford!

Jane Card

Kennebunk

Letter: York voters should study up on cell towers

York Connects Pause and Plan is a new organization in the Town of York that grew from a small group of York Heights neighbors concerned about AT&T’s plan to place six 10-foot wireless antennas on the York Water District water tower in our densely populated area.

When we investigated the science behind the radio frequency radiation (RFR) from these antennas, we discovered a large body of peer-reviewed scientific studies showing negative impacts of this radiation on property values, the environment, safety and human health. While the YWD appeared to listen to our concerns, they decided to continue the partnership with AT&T.

Our next step was to petition the town to PAUSE from issuing permits for wireless facilities; to study the issues of radio frequency radiation (RFR) in order to PLAN the safest locations for these installations while improving connectivity for all. This would put the deployment of technology in York under local control. After a public hearing in September, the York Board of Selectmen voted to put the question on the May 21 ballot to give voters a chance to be heard on this issue.

Currently we are working to increase public awareness of the effects of wireless radiation on property valuations, aesthetics, human health and the environment in order to help voters make informed choices. A YES vote would position the town to make decisions about connectivity based on the unique needs, interests, safety and aesthetics of York.

To become an informed voter, save the date April 5 at 7 p.m. for a public meeting at the York Public Library. You may join York Connects or direct questions to yorkconnects@gmail.com.

Donna Bakke

York

I'm grateful to RSU 21 leaders who do what's best despite aggressive attacks

The RSU21 School Board meeting of Feb. 28 was riddled with theatre, orchestrated and carried out by anti-mask activists. From the outset, the School Board members made clear the mask requirement to participate at an in-person RSU 21 public meeting. This requirement is general and applied to every participant. Virtual participation is fully available. In addition, School Board members made ample effort to adapt to speakers needing accommodation by allowing a speaker at the podium to unmask while speaking.

Due to the anti-maskers disruptive and threatening comportment, and following repeated requests by the Board Chair for compliance, the meeting was abruptly adjourned. As a result, RSU 21 parents, tri-town district taxpayers, and interested stakeholders were denied critical district updates, reports, and information.

School Board member Ken Levesque pled with attendees to "do the right thing" so that reports could be presented as anticipated and detailed on the agenda. Mr. Levesque was a voice of reason urging de-escalation. Unfortunately, his reason did not prevail. And, as Mr. Levesque made clear, the disrupters were the individuals responsible for the absence of information that attendees and district supporters had hoped to learn that evening.

Despite myriad hurdles and bad behavior placed in front of them, Dr. Cooper and School Board members continue to return not only to meaningful work, but also to their sensibilities and responsibilities to lead this district. My appreciation to each of them for their commitment and steadfastness.

The belligerent, uncivil behavior towards our volunteer school board is consistent with the aggressive tactics we see playing out nationally, locally, and with the misguided March 29 recall election. Join me in rejecting these tactics, VOTE NO – VOTE SPOFFORD.

Marie Louise St. Onge

Kennebunk

Letter: Biden's weakness encouraged Putin's invasion of Ukraine

Biden’s displayed weakness in Afghanistan and demonstrated lack of foreign policy while Putin surrounded Ukraine for weeks has reinforced Putin’s invasion decision. Ultra-weak long-term "sanctions” don’t include Russia’s biggest economies: oil and gas.

China is watching our response because it wants to do the same thing to Taiwan. Biden negatively influenced Ukraine while he was vice president five to six years ago, threatening then-Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko with losing a $1 billion U.S. loan if they didn’t fire investigator Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma Holdings, where Joe’s son, Hunter, was a $1 million/year board member. Hunter couldn’t speak Russian/Ukrainian, had no board experience, and no gas/oil experience. This company was known to be corrupt, and the new Ukrainian president had campaigned promising to crack down on corruption. Biden later said, “I gave them until I left, six hours, to fire him. And they did.”

“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” (George Santayana) Remember Hitler’s “annexation” of the Sudetenland (10/1938), when none of the European countries were prepared to stop it. This was supposed to “appease” Hitler . . . until he blitzkrieg’d Poland (9/1939). Even ‘though Chamberlain didn’t have the means to stop him, Great Britain still declared war. I’m definitely not advocating declaring war, but am advocating meaningful sanctions and defending airspace over Ukraine. They were coerced to give up their nuclear weapons when the USSR was split up, and we (the US) promised them we’d defend them. Now Biden says, they’re not NATO (Russia wouldn’t allow them in); sorry!

Bruce Young

York

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Letter address rude behavior, belligerence at RSU 21 board meeting