There is no way to please everyone when it comes to COVID. There is no precedent for managing this epidemic, but following expert, scientific advice is the best policy.

The recall group has changed their reasons for wanting to fire our superintendent multiple times. The latest reason is criticism of Regional School Unit 21 COVID policies. Is it reasonable to blame the superintendent for following recommendations of the federal and state Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? But because she has chosen science-based policies, recall supporters claim that Superintendent Terri Cooper is “unfit.”

Cooper was hired months after the pandemic started and has faced an unprecedented crisis with constantly shifting conditions. Throughout, she has tried to manage the educational needs of students and staff, while also trying to meet the legitimate concerns of parents.

The Unitarian church received phone calls and an email stating that their Black Lives Matter flag did not belong in Kennebunk. Subsequently, someone broke the flagpole and removed the BLM flag.

Let’s not pretend that the campaign to remove our superintendent (who is Black) is not based on racism and that the recall effort to remove one gay board member is not based on homophobia. Instead, let’s face the truth and stand up to a minority of people who believe that they speak for all of us.

Vote “no” on the recall and send a message that racism and homophobia do not belong in Kennebunk.

Miriam Whitehouse
Kennebunk

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