Dear Editor:

Congratulation’s staff and residents of the Northwest Allen County School district! We are now subjects to the Thought Police – otherwise known as the NACS school board. On Jan. 10, a majority – the three male members of the school board, voted 3-2 to ban staff from attending a conference about mental health and trauma due to “fears about what a keynote speaker might say.”

You read that right… MIGHT SAY.

It wasn’t about the conference as a whole or the topic of the conference. Their concern is with one person, the keynote speaker only. For those of us who have attended similar conferences in the past, the keynote speaker is one part of a much larger event. Myself, when I’ve attended conferences, the keynote speaker is informative, but hardly the main benefit of the event. It’s the breakout sessions, learning about new resources and networking with others in the field that’s valuable. And our NACS staff cannot attend because our board is concerned again about one person at that event and what they MIGHT SAY.

It seems to me that going forward it will be impossible for any NACS staff to attend any trainings if the threshold for attending is going to be “what someone might say.” Grown adults; our teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and others are being prevented from attending one of the largest trainings of its type in the state of Indiana because the NACS school board no longer feels that they can trust it’s staff to attend a conference, discern what is relevant information and bring back what’s appropriate to our schools

Let me repeat: The NACS school board does not trust NACS staff to listen to others and discern what information is valuable.

All of the board members agreed that the topics to be covered at the training appropriate and important for the children NACS serves. Depression, trauma and suicide rates are rising in our community and the board acknowledges that fact. Unfortunately for our students, the board decided against helping them, because the board president doesn’t want to inject politics.

Unfortunately, Mr. Felger, it didn’t matter how you voted, it looks political either way. Now your vote is going to be judged based on what it tells our parents and NACS staff. By casting the majority vote, you told them that the school board thinks the staff they hired and approved can’t be trusted. As parent and resident of this district this concerns me greatly. We have high quality educators and administrators in this district. But if this board continues on the path of denigrating them, we run the risk of losing them to other districts. Districts where they feel their talents are valued and their opinions respected.

How would you feel if your boss said he didn’t trust your judgement? He doesn’t value your opinion?

How long would you keep working there?

Susan Crowell

Concerned NACS Parent and Resident