Statement for May 5 board meeting

There has been some discussion and frankly disagreement recently about certain of my comments at the January and February board meetings. Specifically when I was asked in the January and February board meetings about whether or not there had been a request of the board to change the school districts non discrimination policies my answer was in my mind truthful. On hindsight I believe I should have answered the question differently. I should have made clear that there had been no request of the board as a governing body to change the non discrimination policies - but I should have added that I had been contacted and asked to review such policies. I should have also said that I had discussed this issue with the administration because I knew it would likely come before the board. After considerable delay that finally did happen at the March meeting.

So I do want to apologize for answering questions in relation to the non discrimination policy issue at the board meetings in January and February that while I believed my response to be honest at the time, it was not as complete as it should have been.

I have learned a lesson here and I hope to be more clear and more complete in my responses in the future.

I do want to say one more thing. I have gained a lot of empathy for Tom Hamilton and Terri Seymour and I know what it is like to be publicly attacked and to struggle with how to appropriately respond to attacks on ones character and motives. I know they both went through a lot of personal attacks over the International Baccalaureate issue and other issues before I came on the board. I know they suffered personally and I know what it is like to have sleepless nights and to try to maintain a positive attitude and develop a thick skin as a school board member. I do want to apologize for anything that I may have said at any time - including before I came on the board that was negative or hurtful to Mr. Hamilton and Ms. Seymour.

We have far too much negativity in our politics at all levels of government. Too many times if we don't like what a person believes in or says instead of discussing or debating their ideas we attack the person. It is the old tactic that if you don't like the message you go after the messenger. It is hurtful and leads to good people shying away from public service, and it needs to stop at least in this community.

Let's not forget we are only here for the children.... like we just saw from the presentations from the high schools. We are here to do the best we can to enhance their education and to help them grow into mature adults and good, responsible, moral citizens. We are not here for any other reason.

Let us move on as a board and community in mutual respect to do the extremely important work that is before us.

Tom Hearn is chairman of the Coeur d'Alene School District Governing Board.