To the editor:
Attendance at the February 10th public meeting for the Tri-Valley CSD Superintendent search was approximately sixty people consisting of community members and the school Board of Education.
Although I felt the display of unprofessionalism and disrespect for our elders was quite apparent from one school Board member, it became clear that no matter what side of the fence we stand on, our children’s well-being and futures, and accountability for those put in charge of their care for nearly 7 hours per day and 180 days per year, remain of paramount concern.
What also became apparent was that the Tri-Valley community remains a community of good, moral, intelligent people who are committed to ensuring a high quality of education, and the rights, safety, health and innocence of our children. Parents and taxpayers have a right to be heard and respected by the Board of Education.
How would you feel if someone answered your concern of the school’s poor academic rating with the statement that we are not the only school having this problem? How would you feel about being admonished and ridiculed after expressing the paramount importance of conducting a sound background check? How confident would you feel if you were told that Board members are just volunteers?
Taxpayers, your voice and your presence must be felt. We are living in unprecedented times; do not let this opportunity slip by. It is imperative that the community’s voices are heard and respected when the Board chooses a candidate for the role of Superintendent.
Only approximately 250 out of 9,000 taxpayers voted in the last school Board election. Such low voter turnout does not ensure that the entire community is represented when these important decisions are made. Please attend a school Board meeting.

Justine Scully
Grahamsville