In response to the appointed vs. elected School Board poll here, a reader has submitted this thoughtful response:

As a resident of Northumberland County, where my husband and I have chosen to raise our family we entrusted Northumberland County Public Schools with our children’s education, yet our community is now faced with the troubling reality of a forensic audit that has failed to provide a clear explanation for the disappearance of two million dollars.

The lack of transparency and accountability from our school board is unacceptable. Their absence and unwillingness to engage with the public are having a negative impact on our students, teachers, and the entire county. Additionally, while we require our educators to have the necessary qualifications and degrees, we have seen four financial directors come and go—none of whom, to my knowledge, held a finance degree or CPA certification—while managing a $21 million budget. In any other organization, such financial mismanagement would have resulted in terminations or legal consequences.

To restore public trust and ensure responsible oversight, we need a fresh start.  I believe that allowing interim appointed board members till the next election would provide new leadership on the school board which is essential to rebuilding confidence and properly managing our schools’ finances.

I still believe that electing our School Board is the best course of action. We just need to be more careful who we elect.