He was doing a good job for district

Thanks to Herald writer Eric Stevick for writing the “rest of the story” in regard to the firestorm on the severance package for Gary Toothaker (Nov. 24 “Toothaker linked to principal”). All the previous articles and innuendoes made it sound like he had done some great immoral thing. The self-righteous and shabby treatment he has received from the Mukilteo School District is so very unfair, unkind and harkens to a “Harper Valley mentality” at its lowest. The Herald’s previous reports indicated that Superintendent Toothaker had received high marks in his performance evaluations and was apparently doing a good job for the school district

Thank goodness the City of New York did not treat Mayor Rudy Giuliani in this same shameful manner! Giuliani was New York’s rock and strength in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and later was named Time’s Man of the Year, despite the fact that as a then-married man he had fallen in love with his good friend, Judith Nathan. And through all the national tragedy, his own personal health crisis, personal marital battles and subsequent divorce, he has emerged jubilant.

If the Mukilteo School District had been in charge in New York City during that time, every tragedy might have been compounded by their judgmental moral self- righteousness, hypocrisy and small mindedness. Personally I am greatly embarrassed by its actions and judgments and I wish Gary Toothaker the very best in the future.

Lake Stevens