SCHOOLS: Beware hidden ideologies

I read with interest the letter from Mr. Mann regarding his two school board candidates. It came across as a thinly veiled effort to characterize the teachers and their union (after all, they are one and the same) as bad and evil because they endorse certain candidates with the not to veiled accusation that those candidates come "with who knows what strings attached," whereas, his candidates are two dedicated citizens who have nothing but the good of the community in mind (good and righteous because he says they will "set aside ideology," etc., etc.).

What Mr. Mann doesn't tell you is that these two candidates are being offered up by the Christian Right. They have a specific agenda. They also have a very specific "ideology," although Mr. Mann's letter states that they will set it aside (ridiculous). They have two very pronounced issues: They want to control reading material (censorship) and they want better student control (discipline).

I'm not getting into a debate or the particulars of those issues. I'll leave that to the candidates to hash out. What I would like is for letter writers and/or phone solicitors to be more transparent in their dealings with the public. Tell us who or what you actually represent. If you feel your ideology has worth, stand up for it in a forthright manner. Be honest and straightforward with YOUR agenda and spend less time trying to demonize your opposition. It seems like an honest approach to the issues would be the "Christian way."

Let's not play "politics" with our kids' education. I'm sure all the candidates will make general statements that they will "stay independent from teachers' union control," that they "want the best education possible for all students," that they "will support proven and successful educational curriculum," etc., etc., etc. Instead of bashing and demonizing opponents with generalizations, just come out and let voters know what YOU stand for. That way, the voters can make an informed decision based on each candidate's true position on their issues and "ideology."

Incidentally, your group might want to hold their "meetings" in a private place in the future (a local restaurant, open to the public, probably isn't the best place to hold a meeting and/or have private sidebar conversations which can be overheard).

NYLE COOK

Coeur d'Alene