Dear Editor,I want to be sure everyone is aware of the change that newly appointed Falcon School District 49 board member Mark Shook is proposing to make to the current Board of Education policy that is entitled “Commitment to Religious Neutrality.” The proposed change would completely undermine the purpose of the current policy, which focuses on religious neutrality, and would instead favor one religion over another. The change would clearly be unconstitutional because it is promoting and establishing the observance of Christianity in the schools. One of the main problems with the proposal is that, by definition, it excludes all other religions and favors Christianity. By its very nature it establishes one religion over another. That is unconstitutional.Another problem with the policy is that it requires the board’s attorney to draft a new policy every year, do research, etc., which will cost the district lots of money that does not need to be spent. It would also cost district resources to teach all of the staff how to implement the policy. It is a waste of our money.This is the third religious-based policy change proposed by Mark Shook in almost as many weeks since his appointment by the remaining board members after Amy McClelland resigned. Do we not have more important academic achievement needs to address in our schools? Mark Shook was not elected, but he certainly can be removed. I recommend people in D 49 keep their eyes and ears open. The D 49 website http://www.d49.org/ publishes the board packets prior to all meetings. Even if you can’t attend the meetings, you need to let the board know that you are keeping track of what is going on.Kelly Jo Salling-DaviesPeyton
