It is a frightening time for school boards across the country as we witness repeated incidents involving aggressive, threatening and uncivil behavior toward our nation’s school board members. Sadly, based on recent incidents we have experienced locally, it does not feel out of the question for this national trend to work its way into our Regional School Unit 21 (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel) community.

Being a school board member is an immensely exhausting, thankless and stressful commitment. Having served on several board subcommittees, I can attest to the incredible dedication of our board members, who, unlike many others nationwide, receive no stipends or payment for their time. (For quantification, I have seen board members routinely donate upward of 20 hours a week.)

There have been board votes I supported, and some I have not. But, by and large, it has been our great fortune as a community to attract the highest-caliber board members – those who serve with a strong moral compass; lead with logic and reason over personal grievance, ideology or emotion, and act with the best intentions for our students and staff.

I find recent trends locally to disparage and even recall current RSU 21 board members alarming. I ask our community to resist the angry agendas of nationalized ideologues, and appreciate how lucky we are to have a board comprised of thoughtful, fact-based and incredibly hardworking civic volunteers.

Please join me in advocating, upholding and sustaining the highest degree of respect and civility when it comes to school board engagement.

Gaby Grekin
Kennebunkport

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