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.
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