The York County Superior Court ruling rejecting Regional School Unit 21’s injunction is a significant win for Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, taxpayers and the integrity of our school district. Kennebunk’s Town Charter should be rewritten to clarify that RSU directors are beholden to voters and subject to recall. But that’s a post election conversation. We will gain more insight on this at the March 2 hearing in York County Superior Court, the appropriate forum to present evidence supporting the affidavit claims. It would be a disservice to attempt to do so in 180 seconds at a school board meeting or in 250 words via letter.

But I will take this opportunity to address the allegations that this recall is motivated by racism and homophobia. These claims are both repugnant and lazy. Nothing could be further than the truth.

Quite simply, a diverse group of parents, grandparents and taxpayers spent two years engaging the school board in writing and in public sessions, in one-on-one meetings with Superintendent Terri Cooper, as I have twice, and by way of multiple Freedom of Information Act requests. When it became clear that these inquiries were insufficiently answered or, in many cases, completely ignored, a group of Kennebunk residents sought the guidance of the town charter, the town clerk and the town manager, and followed their explicit instructions to mount a recall of the two people directly accountable for this failing board.

And now, thanks to the judge’s ruling, the people of Kennebunk will have their opportunity to be heard in an election.

Norm Archer
former chair, RSU 21 school board
Kennebunk

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