News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters School Board's attempt Monday night to clear the air about the resignation of Ted Thonstad may have been messy and uncomfortable, but it was necessary if the board hopes to win public support and attract the best possible candidates for the superintendent's position.
It is understandable that the board wants to address personnel matters as circumspectly as possible. Yet circumspection can often come across as secrecy and the district can ill afford to be anything less than transparent. Citizens are paying attention. They want to understand what is happening in a district that has faced significant oversight problems and high turnover in the CEO's position.
The board now needs to move on to the important business of finding Thonstad's successor - which may not be an easy task. Sisters has many advantages in attracting candidates, but high cost of living and the turmoil of recent years will make any candidate think twice about coming here to work.
The board must articulate what it expects of a new superintendent and where that superintendent should lead the district.
But the course of the district shouldn't be left to the board alone. If citizens want to understand what is happening in their district and why, they have to participate. They should attend school board meetings; they should talk to their school board members.
Citizens have every right to ask why, but they also have an obligation to engage constructively with the volunteers who serve them. And if they want change, it's up to them to climb into the arena.
Jim Cornelius, News Editor
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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