To the editor:
One of the many reasons Hastings Public Schools has a history of excellence is because there has been a history of electing excellent school board members. The three primary duties of governance include, setting a budget, hiring a superintendent and setting policies. Our boards have done this effectively throughout most of their history.
Unfortunately, in the recent past there have been a few school board directors elected that seem to have a different agenda that is supported by outside interests. This agenda includes obstructing the work of the board, and in one case, this has cost our district thousands of dollars in legal fees.
One of the outside interests includes endorsements by the group Mom’s for Liberty (MFL) who has been designated an “extremist” organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center. MFL is a national political organization with local chapters closely tied to, and funded by national violent extremist groups including, the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters and the Proud Boys.
Their stated mission is to promote “parental rights” with a goal of taking over local school boards to promote a far-right agenda of anti LGBT+, racism, undermining trust in public schools. Some of the rhetoric commonly used in these groups are, Critical Race Theory, holding leaders accountable, addressing student behavior, increasing test scores, promoting school choice, anti “woke” policies. I find their twisting of these ideas dangerous and a significant threat to public schools.
As our school board elections approach, I urge you to look closely at the candidates, their words and their endorsements from outside organizations. I believe the future of our local public schools depends on having a board that is focused on supporting ALL students, staff and PUBLIC EDUCATION. Matt Bruns, Matt Seeger, Mariah Ring and Brandy Wentzler support these ideas.

Sheri Fox