[Vision2020] announcement, w/Top Five

[Bill London]

Keely--
Thanks for all you have done...You have been incredible as a school trustee,
and during the last bond election, as a vocal district representative in the
V2020 arguments on that issue.  You showed real guts and poise, responding
to mean-spirited attacks on V2020 with humor and kindness.
I have been very impressed with your skills and integrity.
BL







----- Original Message ----- 
From: "keely emerinemix" <kjajmix1 at msn.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Cc: <steveemerine at webtv.net>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2006 12:24 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] announcement, w/Top Five


> Visionaires,
>
> After a month or so of reflection, prayer, and talking with my family and
a
> very few good friends, I have decided not to run for re-election to the
MSD
> board of trustees next month.
>
> While it pains me to feel as though I have to immediately defend my
> decision, I'm afraid that certain blogmeisters are going to have a field
day
> calling me a liar, a coward, or worse by gleefully reminding you all and
> anyone else who'll listen that I had said earlier I would definitely run
for
> reelection.  They're right.  I did.
>
> In a May 2005 post that I wrote shortly after the defeat of the bond, I
> affirmed that if Moscow remained full of goodhearted people who cared
about
> public schools, I would run again because of the privilege of serving such
a
> community; likewise, I said, if Moscow began to allow flamethrowers and
> voices of less-than-sterling honesty and integrity to frame the argument,
I
> would run because of the need to speak out against such a faction.  Two
> points can be gleaned from that post -- one, I will always speak out in
> defense of public education and against its detractors, and, two, that I
> would do so by running for reelection and, presumably, getting elected.
>
> Unfortunately, a couple of weeks after I wrote that, I was involved in a
> serious automobile wreck, the cause of my present shoulder and other
> injuries.  And while I'm grateful to be in as good a shape as I am, I know
> that I am not physically 100 percent.  Beyond that, I've come to see that
my
> perspective on a lot of things has changed, as often happens after a
> lifechanging event.  Now, almost a year later, I can confidently affirm
that
> while I will always speak and write in defense of public education, I can
no
> longer be effective doing it as a trustee.
>
> The role of an elected official ought to be, as I explained numerous times
> during last year's bond campaign, one of advocacy and activism coupled
with
> a dedication to hearing and learning from the people we represent.  There
> are limitations inherent to public office that make speaking out somewhat
> difficult, and that appears to be the case in Moscow generally and with
MSD
> in particular.  Try as I might, I can find no reason why an elected
trustee
> should not espouse certain positions relating, for example, to school
> facilities planning -- and yet my execution of what I think is a primary
and
> obvious expectation of an elected official is the very thing that has made
> me a target of intense criticism.  I have no fear of criticism and I have
> learned much from it.  Further, I have changed my views on school
facilities
> substantially in the last three years; in fact, I think it's my
willingness
> to dive into the issue even when it results in my changing my position to
be
> one of the things that not only entitles me but obligates me to speak
> forcefully about it.  On that -- on the content of my beliefs and in my
> conduct in expressing them -- my conscience is clear.
>
> Unfortunately, though, it appears that I can do a better job advocating
for
> MSD from the outside.     I am absolutely committed to continuing to speak
> out on the facilities issue and on other issues that affect not only
public
> education but the entire community.  I don't like what's happening in
> Moscow, and it has become increasingly difficult for me to spend what
little
> physical energy I have trying to operate against the flow within the
> restrictions, genuine or otherwise, of my trusteeship.  The choice, then,
is
> to be a quiet trustee or a vocal non-trustee, and I have chosen the
latter.
>
> I love Vision 2020.  I have been ripped to shreds on this forum, and yet I
> have been blessed to the point of tears by it as well.  There's not a one
of
> you I wouldn't want to have a beer with, and your support and your
criticism
> have both meant a lot to me.  I'm not in any sense going away or
retreating.
>   On the contrary, I intend to not only stick around but to work as hard
as
> I have worked.  The stakes are high and it's time to refocus my energies,
> redefine my role, and redouble my efforts to help every child in this
> district receive the very best education possible.
>
> I am saddened, in a sense, and also discouraged.  But I'm not defeated.
> It's a privilege to fight for our schools, and I'm a fighter.  It's time
for
> someone else to fill the trustee position while I continue doing what I do
> best.  By the way, the filing period began Friday and continues until the
> 14th; I have no idea if or when anyone will file or would have filed for
my
> seat.  That was not in any way a factor in my decision, and had I run, I'd
> have run to win and feel confident that I would.
>
> This has been a tough time for me (pass me a tissue, will you?), and I'd
> like to end this on an up note.  So -- I welcome your comments and, until
> then, invite you to experience my TOP FIVE TRUSTEE HIGHLIGHTS: The Most
> Surreal, Strange, and Just-Plain-Silly Moments in My Trusteeship:
>
> 1.  The gentleman who went on at some length about the trouble he thinks
> athletes and cheerleaders apparently cause our community, and then added,
> "Now, I can tell by looking at you that you were never a cheerleader . . .
"
>   (Ouch.  On the other hand, speech team captain was pretty cool).
>
> 2.  The woman who confided in me that one of her son's teachers was, she
> thought, probably a Republican.  "What specific things should I be looking
> for?" she whispered. (Well, I suppose it'd be bad if he started the day
with
> a small-animal sacrifice . . . ).
>
> 3.  The man who warned me that he knew I was a "religious person" and so
> he'd better not ever catch me trying to halt the progress of science,
> technology, and reason.  (Note to self:  Be more discreet when trying to
> halt the progress of science, technology, and reason.  People are
talking).
>
> 4.  A friend related the following conversation wherein my name came up:
> "Well, Keely has a BA."
> "No, no," the other woman insisted.  "It's not her hygiene -- she just
talks
> too much."  (Even someone with a BA in journalism can tell the difference
> between BO and a legitimate degree . . . )
>
> 5.  The dear lady who said how wonderful it must be to work with Dr.
> Donicht, who she thought "has been the best mayor Moscow's ever seen!"
(And
> believe me, Candis has been a helluva football coach over at the UI as
> well).
>
> And, as a bonus, my all-time favorite:  The neighbor who was concerned
that
> her fifth-grade son's health and human sexuality presentation used "the
'P'
> word" to describe male genitalia.  I confess that I was unsuccessful in
> forwarding the "let's just call it a 'winkydoodle' " motion on the board.
>
> Yeah, it's been a great three years -- not easy, not always pleasant, but
> valuable and enriching.  Now there's a new phase in my life that, I'm
sure,
> will be just as valuable and enriching.  Hopefully with some humor, too .
.
> .
>
> keely
>
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