Read the responses of trustee candidates Krista Hasler and Greg Woodard, who were not endorsed in this opinion piece. 

On September 6th, voters in the Boise School District have an unusual opportunity to determine the future of our schoolchildren, our teachers and our community. The Boise School Board election is a study in contrasts. As former leaders of Boise’s schools, we ask you choose trustees who are committed to continued excellence for the Boise Schools.

On one side of the ballot, you have a team of five current trustees who have provided stability, safety, and consistency to families through some of the most turbulent times in recent memory. On the other side is a collection of individuals, many of whom are pursuing grievances including COVID-19 safety precautions, classroom content conspiracies, book banning, and other radical special interests.

Please consider that the Boise School District is a large, complex organization with 23,000 students, a budget of $391 million dollars, and over 4,000 employees. We believe your choice is clear. You can elect a team of trustees that has a proven record of managing our schools in a thoughtful manner, or support untested candidates with agendas that do not align with our District’s values of Respect, Dignity, Honesty, Responsibility and Teamwork.

The five current trustees, Dave Wagers, Beth Oppeheimer, Andy Hawes, Elizabeth Langley and Steve Schmidt have learned, in record-breaking time, how to operate as a high-functioning team. Under their leadership, the Board has been innovative and nimble, while continuing to provide academic excellence, unparalleled access to opportunity, and support to the passionate teachers our community expects and deserves. While each trustee brings his or her unique talents, perspectives, experiences and personalities to Board work, they have proven their ability to rise above their own individual biases, ask the tough questions, carefully examine all the evidence at hand and find the best way to serve the students, families and staff of the Boise School District.

Make no mistake, leading the Boise School District is a service to building our future. Strong and stable leadership builds strong and stable schools. Strong and stable schools build vibrant communities. As volunteer and professional leaders of the Boise Schools, we continue to believe in every child’s future, and in the trust our patrons place in these incumbent trustees’ ability to best serve our children.

We join with the Boise Education Association and strongly endorse Dave Wagers, Beth Oppenheimer, Andy Hawes, Elizabeth Langley and Steve Schmidt in the Tuesday, September 6th, 2022 Boise School Board of Trustees election. They have earned our trust and the honor to continue to serve our students, our families, our teachers and our community. Please join us in voting for them on September 6th.

Written by:

Former Boise School District Trustees
AJ Balukoff
Dennis Doan
Alicia Shier Estey
Shaueen Grange
Bev Harad
David Hawk
Rory Jones
Derick O’Neill
Dr. Skip Pierce
Troy Rohn

Former Boise School District Superintendents
Dr. Stan Olson
Dr. Don Coberly