Posted on Thu, Apr. 10, 2003
Blue Valley proves truth can prevail
By LAURA SCOTT
The Kansas City Star
The voters who chose wisely in Blue Valley's elections last week
had been insulted, and they got mad.
That's the best explanation for the election's outcome and a
turnout that was higher than in any board elections dating back at
least to 1995.
Voters rejected a slate of candidates endorsed by state
legislators who had injected themselves into the nonpartisan races.
They instead went overwhelmingly for two respected incumbents --
Nikki Copp and John Fuller -- and three pro-schools newcomers -- Pam
Robinson, Lori Hisle and Clinton Robinson.
Just before the election, voters received a mailing that ripped
the school district, alleging declining test scores and excessive
administrative costs.
The letter writers falsely interpreted statistics, but the
letter wasn't signed and it didn't say who paid for it. That's
illegal.
By then, voters already had been subjected to a barrage of
propaganda, charges and countercharges, and some real nastiness -- all
started because the legislators made negative comments about the
quality of the schools.
Organized by Rep. Eric Carter, the lawmakers included state Sen.
Karin Brownlee and Reps. Doug Patterson, Ray Merrick and Patricia
Lightner. Education groups or election opponents in the past had
criticized all, except Carter, for not strongly supporting the
schools. It appears he has gotten himself on that list now.
Voters found their way through it all just fine. And, Blue
Valley became a shining example of truth prevailing because people
bothered to become informed and to vote.
Parents and patrons resented the legislators' message. They
believe their children are getting a good education. They know the
test scores are high. They also know the district faces lean times
because state legislators aren't doing their jobs to raise money for
education.
Superintendent David Benson summed it up: "Some of the
information voters received ran contrary to their personal
experience."
Caroline McKnight, whose Mainstream Coalition came out on top
with its endorsements of Copp, Fuller, Hisle and Pam Robinson, said
voters were upset at the lawmakers' allegations about their schools.
She said people thought, "How dare they? We have a great
school system. Our property values are great here because of it."
Retiring board member Bob Regnier and former board member K.O.
Strohbehn's defense of the district also helped alert many families to
the importance of voting, McKnight said.
And she credited Blue Valley's informal network of women voters
who, even though they have raised their children, value public
education and want to elect candidates who do, too.
In a letter to Blue Valley voters, Regnier and Strohbehn warned:
"If you sleep through the April 1st election...you'll be in for a
rude awakening."
The legislators "are not interested in improving education
in Blue Valley; they are interested in controlling it," they
charged.
Regnier and Strohbehn put their finger on the essence of this
fracas. The controversy wasn't really about whether to teach religion
in the public schools, although that was a side issue. It also wasn't
really about Carter's disagreements with the moderate-leaning
Mainstream Coalition over its past endorsements, although that was
another side issue.
It was about power.
Carter, a relative newcomer to Johnson County's political scene,
apparently wants power. And if voters of his district think through
what he tried to do in the school board elections, they will make sure
he doesn't get any more of it.
Carter talked to candidates Maynard Ahner, Bob Hayworth, Renee'
Herman, Krista Salter and David Wolfram about endorsing them. He also
spearheaded the legislators' endorsement letter.
That letter's degrading statements clearly are what started to
stir the voters.
The letter called for voters to "restore Blue Valley's
image" as "a premier school district focused on true
academic excellence."
Those are fighting words in Blue Valley. Obviously.
