Lazechko letter: Linda Clark

Statesman flunks test: The Statesman’s Oct. 25 editorial stated former West Ada Superintendent Linda Clark “resigned Friday as a result of a totally manufactured crisis,” however, those who attended board meetings could see the “crisis” was, if not created, at the least largely exasperated by Clark’s own actions and responses. The district exists to educate children, and as an educator, who does this work daily, I am scrutinized constantly, my teaching practices are transparent for all to see. I am regularly evaluated, regularly questioned. Clark’s actions at board meetings resisted any scrutiny, any transparency, any questioning and any form of evaluation. Furthermore, the Statesman stated, “This new board has every right to scrutinize and question administrators,” which is exactly what they were doing. You also state in your editorial Clark “has earned the respect of educators all over Idaho.” This may be the case, but your Editorial Board forgot the central question: Did she have the trust and the respect of the educators she supervised, those employed to do the work of the West Ada district? By omitting that question, you failed not only your readers, but also the patrons of the West Ada School District.

This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 11:44 PM with the headline "Lazechko letter: Linda Clark."