Unfortunately, the Sequim Good Governance League has lost some credibility by endorsing Sequim School Board directors Maren Halvorsen and Larry Jeffryes.
The league’s motto is “Good Governance Builds Community. Irresponsible Governance Divides Community,” but Halversen’s and Jeffryes’ leadership last March and April was divisive, pitting Sequim’s families and educators against our school board and district administrators.
Last spring, when the financial reason initially given for reconfiguring the elementary schools was no longer justified, Jeffryes and Halversen voted for it anyway without providing their rationale.
They never provided evidence to show this would be beneficial to students, and they ignored a public petition from educators to stop or slow down the proposal.
I agree with the principles that the league ostensibly stands for, electing leaders who “serve the needs of the entire community” who use transparency, facts and reason, but Halversen and Jeffryes made this impactful decision without transparency or facts while ignoring impassioned requests from parents and teachers to vote against the plan.
Eric Pickens was the only board director to vote against the reconfiguration, and he’s the only school board director who has been endorsed by the local teacher’s union, the Sequim Education Association.
Pickens is also the only school board director running unopposed, while the board directors who voted for the reconfiguration have each had multiple challengers.
If Jeffryes and Halversen retain their seats, I hope they’ll learn to lead by the principles the Sequim Good Governance League claims to support.
David Updike
Sequim