Two far-right school board members recalled in far-right Idaho County

Woke to the problems regarding appointing unqualified people to the school board.

WOKE!

JustOneWay said:

Woke to the problems regarding appointing unqualified people to the school board.

WOKE!

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Great! Wake up everybody!

I think school bonds should only be used for extra-ordinary expenses. Like a new school building. The problem is though that the districts get the money and then they want to roll them over for more general expenses. If in this case the bond was one third of the school budget, it means that tax rate is too low. Idaho has limits on the amounts a local government can raise through property taxes each year. I believe would include school districts.

I do have a maxim that almost always rings true. When a local government wants something, they will get it through any means possible. The two that are maybe ousted, (unofficial tally) likely were in the way of the mainstream. When the bond failed I imagine they started listing what cuts would have to be taken, getting parents and kids all upset and now the ouster of the two that were against it. They will either vote on another bond or find the money through the backdoor.

Kootenai County (idaho) did this with a new county jail. Voters turned it down like 3 times, then amazingly, the county found the money to fund a new jail anyway. Meanwhile they drum up savings projections as they were housing prisoners nearby. It will be cheaper of course to build a new and expanded jail. Too bad they failed to account for the interest payments while underestimating the costs. When any government wants something this also occurs. Overestimate the value of the project, underestimate the cost. Since local government is the fastest growing sector of government you better watch them and hang onto your wallet. N. Idaho is growing quite fast with many California transplants so the budget shortfall could be real. In this case the old cliche holds. "there is no free lunch."

essentialsaltes said:

Future of controversial West Bonner superintendent uncertain after recall of two far-right trustees​

Two leading members of the West Bonner County school board were recalled Tuesday in a repudiation of extreme far-right politics that have invaded the rural North Idaho school district.

A more than 60% majority voted to recall Chair Keith Rutledge and Vice Chair Susan Brown, according to unofficial election results from the Bonner County elections office.

Rutledge and Brown were two of the three West Bonner board members who voted in June to hire Durst, who was an Idaho Freedom Foundation staffer with no experience as a school administrator or teacher. Durst’s selection inspired community backlash from many parents in the district who argued he was unqualified.

Both Rutledge and Brown campaigned against a school levy that voters rejected in May, which has resulted in major financial challenges for the district. The failed $4.7 million supplemental levy represented a third of the district’s budget.

The recall petition organizers alleged Rutledge and Brown failed to uphold their oaths of office to improve public schools

Dana Douglas, the chairwoman of Recall Replace Rebuild, described herself as a conservative Christian. She said the takeover of the school district is an example of what can happen when parents and voters do not pay close enough attention.

“This community is not going to back down,” Turner said. “We are awake now and we are going to stay awake.”

[Did I hear that correctly?]

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Prior to the election: [edit, I just noticed the thread was based on an article from last year. The article below is from last week]

"In this ruby-red state, the pushback is being led from within the party. A group of disaffected, self-described “traditional” Republicans has spent the past two years planning to wrest back control from leaders who they accuse of steering the local GOP toward extremism, a charge the officials vehemently deny. A crucial measure of the challengers’ efforts comes Tuesday, Idaho’s primary day."