Edmonds School Board: Have incumbents served students’ interests?

Published 1:30 am Sunday, November 5, 2023

Two of the current races for Edmonds School District director, positions, No. 1 and No. 5 offer clear choices to the voters.

In the voters’ pamphlet position No. 1 incumbent Carin Chase emphasizes “keeping public education public” (what does that mean?) and her Democratic Party ties. Nicholas Logan speaks of concern for “a lowering of general educational standards … never approve a budget that is not fully funded.”

Position No. 5 incumbent Nancy Katims speaks of “equitable access … inadequate state funding …championed the needs of students.” Whereas Nicholas Jenkins emphasizes “strong literacy and mathematical skills, reasoning … health care and sexuality are solely matters of private and parental concern … tax revenue is more than sufficient to develop strong literacy and mathematical skills in children”.

Recent ESD students’ low test scores and low attendance ought to be thought provoking for all. Should these low performance facts be considered as due to the pandemic and the long lockdown of public schools when the same pandemic threat did not cause such long disruptions for private or parochial students and teachers?

So now I ask, did the ESD incumbents demonstrate rightful independence from teachers union demands to keep public schools closed? Did Chase and Katims lobby the superintendent and the powers that be in Olympia to re-open public schools? If not, given the sad results of the long public school lockdown, do those incumbents deserve reelection?

Voters have clear choices, and for the sake of students and society may we choose wisely in this very meaningful election.

Shirley Oczkewicz

Edmonds