Our view: A simple solution for Wrenshall woes

What is wrong in Wrenshall? That’s a question that has been vexing anyone following the actions of the district school board in recent years.

As it was stated at Monday’s regular board meeting during the public comment period, Wrenshall once had a reputation as a small and efficient place to get an education, a “hidden gem.”

Today, that status is damaged. While often there can be myriad reasons for discord in a small community, in this case there is just one: a mostly dysfunctional school board.

It’s a board with members who have insulted community members, injected politics into supposedly nonpartisan representation, uttered racist and homophobic words, allowed community members to harass and threaten those with different ideas, and allowed all things regarding the board to spiral into a web of conspiracy theories, community gossip, and personal beefs writ overly large.

All this has left the community bereft.

Set aside, for a moment, the personalities on the board today. As was stated by a former school member on Monday, there are some basic problems with how the board runs what usually is routine business. It’s obvious that illegal discussions are happening before meetings when deciding things. And in the rare times there is a full discussion, it is often couched, coded and indecipherable.

As stated Monday, members of a school board need to represent the best interests of the school. They need to know what is happening in the classrooms, with employees, and with the district’s future. They need to do the work.

The maddening thing about today’s Wrenshall school board is that for all of its machinations and distractions, one would assume a sort of end goal. But there doesn’t seem to be one. It has members who seem to be good at creating chaos. When facts, rules and public rebuttal are entered in, they simply slink away without explanation or apology. Nothing is gained, but damage is done.

We are all for the idea of elections having the ability to change things. We certainly know that the elections in 2020 greatly played a part in where the board is today. Teachers and parents in the district are rallying people to run for three open seats and will host a candidate forum to talk about education issues before the election in November. We urge anyone with a yen for making things better to run for a seat.

But remember, public service is hard work. If you are there for a singular issue or mindset, think again. It is work, and if it doesn’t get done, you won’t have a school district to represent.

Right now, the board has members who aren’t doing the work or don’t know how to do it. We have a simple request for them if they can’t begin to better handle their positions. Resign.