LAKELAND BOARD: Service over self-interest

As a social worker with 18 years of experience and a clinical assistant professor of social work, I am deeply concerned about the lack of decisive leadership from the Lakeland Joint School District Board of Trustees. At a time when our schools face dire financial challenges, the inaction of Chair Michelle Thompson is troubling — not just as a trustee but as someone licensed as an Idaho master social worker, a profession rooted in the principles of service, social justice, and integrity.

While Ms. Thompson is not a social worker in her role as board chair, the values of the social work profession are not situational — they are guiding principles that should permeate all aspects of leadership. The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics calls for prioritizing service to others above self-interest, addressing social problems, and ensuring equitable access to resources. Unfortunately, the board’s avoidance of difficult decisions following the failure of the supplemental levy betrays these principles.

Students, educators, and the community are left to bear the brunt of the board’s inaction. Programs are at risk, trust is eroded, and opportunities for meaningful collaboration are slipping away. Leadership demands more than status — it demands action, accountability, and a commitment to the values one professes to uphold.

Michelle Thompson has a responsibility — not just as a trustee, but as a social worker — to embody these values in her leadership. The continued delay in addressing the budget crisis is unacceptable. The clock is ticking, and our community deserves better.

MEGAN DARDIS-KUNZ

Disappointed Social Work Colleague

Coeur d’Alene