Letters to the editor may be sent to [email protected]. All opinions stated in letters to the editor and guest columns are those of the author and should not be construed as an endorsement by Lowell’s First Look.
To the editor:
All district voters will be asked on Nov. 8 to choose three of seven candidates for the Lowell Area Schools Board of Education. Two are incumbents: Patrick Nugent and Jessica Curtis. Both have demonstrated admirably their willingness and their capability to perform the duties and responsibilities necessary to lead the district, as well as to listen with respect and respond to complaints of some who have put rights above, rather than alongside, responsibilities to all families, students and community members. They have also weathered an unfounded and ultimately failed recall attempt from a small but loud group of those who cannot seem to find much right with the district, yet have not offered solutions or volunteered their time to do so.
That all our current Board members have endured these unnecessary distractions and remained focused on operating a school district speaks volumes for their dedication.
Two newcomers, Parker Liu and Jennifer Dougherty, have shared their commitment to keeping the focus on LAS students, rather than on divisive talking points that have, after district consideration, not found to be issues at LAS. With only three available seats, it is essential for the community to rally.
The three others who are running are, unfortunately, aligned with and endorsed by the group behind the divisive, potentially expensive recall attempt our community flatly and resoundingly rejected last year.
Please vote for Curtis, Dougherty, Nugent or Liu at the bottom of your ballot by Nov. 8. Leaving this race blank could cost our taxpayers and our district years in unwarranted distractions from the education and well-being of our students.
Morgan Jarema
former Lowell Education Foundation member
Vergennes Township
I personally know the other three candidates and they are nothing like the author of this letter makes them out to be. I challenge the author of this letter to sit down and actually talk to the other three candidates before making her bias letter to the editor.
While I understand that the endorsement by the fringe group does not help their campaign, in fairness, it needs to be said that they do not have control over who publicly supports their campaign. I encourage people to listen to all candidates with an open mind and make a decision they feel is best for the families of Lowell Area Schools. The rhetoric ends when we begin to listen to everyone.