Make your vote count

To the editor:

There is a lot being said concerning Adam Boyd. Possibly using the school board as a springboard for further political aspirations, no experience in education, a product of special interest? Who is anyone to say that education isn’t something that Adam has ever cared about?

He has children in public schools, of course he cares. Maybe he has not had the same experience in education as the rest of the candidates have, but he does have experience. Adam has opened his home to students in Alaska for years to educate them on the work that goes into what they eat, ask around to see how many students have been to Boyd Farms. Isn’t that education?

Special interest: Would that be the teachers unions that are supporting him, the teachers unions, who are made up of the very individuals who affect our children’s education the most and are most affected by the school board and the decisions it makes? It is certainly not the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party.

As for Mr. Boyd using the school board as a springboard for further political aspirations… What if he was? Every politician started somewhere. What if Adam gets elected to school board, and does great things? Won’t that give all of us voters insight as to how he would do if elected to higher offices?  Maybe he can do wonders for not only our education system now but to our state as a whole in the future. If Adam was wanting to further his political career, wouldn’t it behoove him to do a “top notch” job while on the school board, to gain support for further aspirations? It seems like a “win-win” situation. School board is an elected position, and its members serve terms. It’s not a permanent position, why wouldn’t he want to further his career in the future if he has the passion, talent and drive to do so? It seems pretty natural to me.

Each one of the candidates running for school board went before the Teachers Unions and the Education Associations seeking their endorsements. I would assume that when meeting with each individual candidate, these groups had in mind what they were looking for in a school board member, and evidently they saw those attributes in Adam Boyd. The question that each of us needs to ask ourselves is: What are the qualities or traits that we want or need our school board members to have?

The bottom line is this, Mr. Boyd has experience dealing with state legislature and government operations at all levels, and in creating and managing effective budgets. Adam builds relationships with anyone he comes in contact with. He is a parent and a business owner, he was born and raised in the Mat-Su Valley. He does not live an extravagant life and works extremely hard for his family and for Alaska. Isn’t that what is important? Adam’s background and experience has no “one” focus, it is diverse and well-rounded. Anyone who has ever had the opportunity to speak to Adam on a one-on-one basis or even having had observed him address a crowd, has witnessed a man who is willing to not only speak up and out about critical issues but humble enough as well to be silent and listen to the concerns of the public, and to ask questions regarding issues that need further clarification. Those are the traits that we need in our school board members. I believe Mr. Boyd would be extremely influential to the school board.

No one can make your decision for you, do the research required to make the right decision on Oct. 6. Make that decision informed of the pros and cons of each candidate, because there are pros and cons to each one of them. If you cast your vote and feel good about the decisions you made, then that’s all that each one of us are capable of. You have one vote, make it count.

Kira Galliher

Palmer