Support Redmond school bond
By Bill Dahl
/ Bulletin guest columnist
Published: April 11. 2008 4:00AM PST
A central pillar of Redmond’s future continues to be attacked by a small yet vocal segment of residents who uses innuendo, resentment, threats, confusion, dredging up old controversy and fear to displace the public’s confidence. The Bulletin gave voice to the “audacity of nope” mantra of these folks as represented by the March 29 publication of the “In My View” piece entitled “Redmond residents should vote ‘no’ on school bond.”
Let’s put this in perspective. The fact is the author of this piece routinely submits scathing, negative viewpoints to area media outlets for publication. This same piece was published earlier in the week by The Redmond Spokesman. The purported platform of “the audacity of nope” folks was blown away by the community of Redmond, who spoke loudly, clearly and overwhelmingly about the “audacity of nope” agenda: “We don’t want any!” Why? Because this segment of our community is not “for” Redmond, our kids, our families or anything constructive that contributes tangibly to restoring a solid foundation for the future of public education and community development in Redmond.
Frankly, the students and families of Redmond are in the schools facility predicament we find ourselves in because “the audacity of nope” agenda held sway with Redmond voters during the last school bond request. Thanks a lot, folks. An example of their most recent attempt to fan the flames of a school district “credibility” problem (Bulletin, March 29) is both contrived and misplaced. The actual credibility problem is with the “audacity of nope” proponents who have no desire to invest in the vitally important, fundamentally essential community pillars that must be erected to ensure the future success of the next generation, our children, this community, and our nation.
Redmond cannot afford any more of this “audacity of nope” nonsense. It’s time for Redmond to come together, displaying the confidence and courage essential in supporting the plans the school board and Redmond School District administration have recommended to Redmond voters this spring. Our children are counting on us.
Realistically, every community has its vocal contingent of naysayers. The Redmond School Board and administration have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months providing opportunities for parents, residents and students to provide input, through a number of mechanisms. One example of the result of these efforts is the Redmond Education Vision (REV) that has been available both online and in print, summarizing the public’s preferences. Frankly, this is an incredibly uplifting document. Redmond has spoken: We have a public education vision. The naysayers had their opportunity for input as well.
Generating a vision and implementing it are two distinctly different challenges. However, that’s where the importance of experienced leadership comes in. Within the last 24 months Redmond has been fortunate enough to attract uniquely talented leadership, fully capable of implementing the educational vision the citizenry here has defined. However, Superintendent Vickie Fleming, her administrative team, principals, teachers and other public education employees cannot do it alone nor have they behaved that way. At every turn, this dedicated group of professionals has developed new input portals and welcomed public participation, through innumerable vehicles that have heretofore been absent. I have lived in communities where the quality of public education is a very effective tool in attracting businesses, new industry and families — a vitally important pillar in overall community development. Having one high school so dastardly overcrowded, along with the estimates for repairs to existing facilities that total millions, is a condition we can, and must, do something about. Now!
It is my view that our Redmond community is in the midst of a critically important transitional phase. A tension exists between those who don’t want any change whatsoever and those who appreciate the fact that certain fundamental changes are well overdue, and essential. Raising the quality of Redmond’s public education delivery systems, measurable results and the learning environments in which they take place will require immediate and ongoing public participation, support and investment. We simply cannot afford the “audacity of nope” proponents to maintain a status quo that is presently harming this community.
As a Redmond resident, it’s time to call for the “capacity for courage” by calling out these naysayers for the contribution they have made to public education in this community: ongoing destructive, divisive, conflict and confusion — they are the purveyors of “audacity of nope.” Let’s move beyond this, shall we? It’s time to act upon our capacity for courage by coming together and jump the curve with public education in Redmond, led by the talented professionals we have recruited to make this necessity a reality. Vote “yes” on the Redmond school bond. Vote “yes” for investing in the success of our children. Vote “yes” for restoring this critically important pillar in our Redmond community. Vote “yes” for the future of Redmond.
Bill Dahl lives in Redmond.
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