Its time for Mat-Su school district officials to put bickering aside children first

It has not been a good week for the school board and administration of the Mat-Su Borough School District.

On Wednesday, amid calls from the community and another vote of no confidence from the Mat-Su Principals Association, Superintendent Bob Lehman resigned.

In a startling resignation letter, Lehman wrote he could no longer do his job in the financial and political environment swirling around the school district.

There is a lack of control our actions do not appear to be improving the system and I feel we are impotent to carry out the goals, objectives and needs we have set for our schools, he wrote.

This is not exactly heartening news for parents and the community.

And this month an outside arbitrator found in favor of Iditarod Principal Don Chicarell, who believed he had received a poor evaluation from district Director of Education Rick Luthi because of his work in the principals union.

This isnt the kind of behavior that inspires confidence, either.

Apparently, the district and school boards botched handling of the firing and rehiring of Colony High School Principal Bill Harlow was only the first signal of rough times ahead.

For better or worse, Lehmans resignation provides an opportunity for the school board to correct its course and try to recover from past mistakes.

Instead of internal wrangling, it would be nice if the board and administration could focus on better funding and improving education.

We hope board members can find a superintendent who follows in the steps of former district head Norm Palenske, who focused on positive relations between the district, its employees and the community.

The children of Mat-Su deserve nothing less.