School board candidates need your attention

John Agen, Kate Szurek, Marlys Baker, Janie Beasley. Astute readers will recognize them as the candidates in the contested races for the La Conner School District directors positions for districts 1 and 2, on south and west Fidalgo Island outside of Shelter Bay, generally.

The four are taking their races seriously, campaigning to represent their respective Fidalgo Island constituents at a time of great turmoil in the school district. Szurek and Beasley are incumbents. Beasley is this year’s board president. Szurek was president in 2018. Both have years of experience.

Agen and Baker believe it is time for new leadership.

But the real question today, Sept. 25, and Oct. 2, next Wednesday evening, is what is your assessment of the candidates, Ms. or Mr. Fidalgo Island resident living in these districts? It will be 34 days until election day on October 2. These voters don’t have to know much about the candidates on Oct 2, but it is their responsibility to learn enough to discern whom they favor and decide between Oct. 23, when voting starts, and 8 p.m. on Nov. 5, when ballots have to be turned in at county ballot boxes.

Voters have a responsibility to take these elections as seriously as the candidates do.

The Skagit League of Women Voters and the Weekly News are co-sponsoring a candidates forum for these positions Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. The forum will be at the Social Services Building of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, 17337 Reservation Road.

For residents of these two school board districts, there isn’t a more important place to be that night, barring emergencies. The candidates have thought about their positions and practiced what they will say. Voters have an equal responsibility to reflect on the dynamics occurring in the La Conner School District and prepare themselves to listen closely and arrive that night with good questions and statements they might want to make.

There isn’t a more important institution in greater La Conner than the school system and there isn’t a more important or valuable resource than the community’s children. Whether you have children or not, the students in the schools are the entire community’s future. Whether you have children or not, being concerned about the oversight of the school district, the relationship the district’s directors have with all of us, whichever district we live in, and the board of director’s shepherding of tax dollars are all critical issues requiring your attention and presence Oct. 2.