NIC: Campus should reflect conservative values

There have been many fingers pointed at two trustees who sit on the governing board at NIC. The accusations come from ideological opponents, who wish to tarnish the reputations of these men and assassinate their character in the minds of the citizenry, without ever giving specific examples of any wrongdoing. This is called brainwashing propaganda, and is an effective way to convince people outside the meetings that something bad is happening.

We live in a time where “diversity” is championed by people who really mean conformity of thought. This was pointed out recently by Judy Foss, a retired nurse who worked in the Health Sciences Division at the college. She brought a concern to the board during the May 25 meeting, stating that strong-arming was being used against staff and students to bring about conversational conformity. She gave specific examples of how expressed views were being shut down on campus by superiors, because they did not follow a certain narrative.

People with such opinions were told that “it would make it difficult to enforce rules” if they were allowed to be expressed. Judy’s question for the BOT was, “Is this a mentality that you want to foster on this campus?” She quoted a student who said, “Why elevate critical thinking, then squash it when we students express it?” This is exactly what is happening on the very board that is supposed to be a reflection of the community they serve. Two of the trustees consistently consider the values of the citizenry, while the other three shut down any discussion and strong-arm their policies into place.

We will have an opportunity in November to elect a full board that listens to the voters. Our campus should be a free and fair place to express ideas, with leadership that reflects the conservative values of the community they serve.

ANNE PATTERSON

Coeur d’Alene