School board elections
Isn't it great that we can vote for a school board member who has significant, recent, and successful teaching experience in the Bend-La Pine Schools?
Elizabeth Justema is a smart, effective communicator who is committed to our students and our community, and she directly understands the challenges our schools face.
Dedicated and hardworking, Justema taught high school history in our Bend-La Pine Schools from 2014 until 2022. She has personal and professional insight into which programs and initiatives are successful and which are not.
It is paramount that we elect someone to the board who has had a front row, day-in-and-day-out view of how the district's policies and procedures actually impact our students' opportunities to learn and our teachers' ability to do a responsible and professional job. She'll bring the advantage of clear-eyed reality to the school board.
Additionally, Justema worked for 18 years in marketing and the technology industry prior to becoming a teacher. Those experiences broaden her background and give her a wider perspective.
For the sake of the students and staff, please visit her website, elizabethjuestemaforzone7.com to get even more inspired, and then vote for Elizabeth Justema for school board, Zone 7.
—Mark Molner
Momma Bears Threaten Academic Freedom in CCSD
The upcoming May 16 special election in Crook County features three County residents, aka the "Momma Bears," running as a conservative bloc for election to the CCSD School Board. These three candidates, endorsed by Oregon Moms Union PAC, have stated they "Don't co-parent with the Government." Their mission appears to be undermining our public schools under the guise of "Parental Rights."
Born and raised in Redmond, OR, and graduating from RHS in 1974, I feel sadness and anger, then, that these candidates have jumped on the bandwagon of recent trends in bringing conservative religious and political dogma into educational decision-making. Clearly, the "mommas" represent a lack of understanding of the purpose and power of education, and why a free exchange of ideas is imperative to a healthy school system. Their campaign rhetoric communicates a lack of trust in educated and experienced teachers, librarians and administrators.
Voters should think long and hard before turning CCSD into a school system without freedom of thought or expression. Why risk alienating hard-working professionals who are experts in their fields? Why risk stifling the imagination and intellectual adventurousness of the students? If you fear what is now being tagged "Critical Race Theory," make very sure you understand what it means. Middle or high school history text books that offer a unit on slavery in the United States, and the issues that led to the Civil War, are not engaging in CRT. It is simply historical reality.
— Joel Komarek
Expand Deschutes County Commission
I am writing to advocate for the expansion of the number of county commissioners in Deschutes County. As our county grows and becomes more complex, the current number of commissioners is no longer sufficient to effectively represent and serve our community.
With the current three commissioners, there is a risk of decisions being made with a narrow perspective, and a lack of diversity of thought and opinion. By expanding the number of commissioners, we can ensure that more voices are heard and represented in county decision-making processes.
Moreover, as the county continues to experience rapid population growth, the workload and responsibility of the commissioners will increase. Expanding the number of commissioners will allow for a more efficient and effective use of resources, distributing the workload among more individuals, reducing the burden on each commissioner and enabling them to focus on specific issues that are important to their constituents.
In addition, with more commissioners, there will be more opportunities for individuals to run for office, leading to greater diversity and representation in our government. This, in turn, can inspire greater public engagement, as more people feel invested in the process and the outcomes of county decision-making.
While there may be concerns about the cost of expanding the number of commissioners, it is important to remember that this investment is ultimately in the best interest of our community. By increasing representation and sharing the workload, we can build a stronger, more inclusive county government that is better equipped to serve the needs of all its residents.
I strongly urge people to take action and expand the number of county commissioners in Deschutes County.
— John Heylin
DeRemer's Dangerous Budget Vote
I was extremely disappointed that our CD5 rep, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, voted to support MAGA legislation in regard to the debt ceiling. It is a reckless piece of legislation that would hurt, among many others:
- Veterans
- Seniors
- Hungry children
- Lower-income people with serious health issues
Republicans are playing political games with the full faith and credit of the United States, insisting on extreme cuts in order to agree to a deal on the debt ceiling. This could devastate the American economy and throw us into a recession. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer campaigned on the promise that she would be a moderate voice in Congress, but so far has shown next to no evidence of that. This latest vote — aligned with the most extreme voices in the Republican party — does nothing to serve her constituents and directly contradicts her stated support for our veterans. I want better.
—Gayle Stemler
Letter of the Week:
Thanks for your letter, Gayle. You get letter of the week!
—Nicole Vulcan
