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Today, September 22nd, is the date for the candidate forum for Onaway Area Schools board candidates (7:00-8:30 pm at the school). An organization called Up North Advocacy has arranged the evening, with a host from outside the community to ensure objectivity. Candidates were informed of the date with plenty of notice. They were assured they would not be subjected to harassment. While the audience can submit questions in writing, they can't say who'll be asked a specific one, so no candidate can become the target of "gotcha" questions. Every attempt will be made to give candidates the chance to tell the voters what their priorities are.

Sadly, a group of candidates will not be there tonight. Here's part of their Facebook post:

We, James Rieger, John Palmer, Lorrie Kowalski, Joe Bonnard, Sheri LaFave, and Kathleen Christian are writing this to inform the community as a group, we will not be attending the meeting that is being held, by the Up North Advocacy.
Mainly because they support a woke agenda, and advocate for non parental involvement in our children's education.
 

While my English teacher side itches to get out my red pen and correct that, let's move on. This group is arranging their own forum in October. Here's what I'm wondering about their alternate "non-woke" event. 

*Did every candidate get an invitation with clear explanations of the purpose and procedures?

*Will there be an objective moderator to see that the event runs smoothly and fairly?

*Will the candidates and the audience be encouraged to be civil and truthful?

If the answer to the questions above is yes, then why did they need to set up a separate event? If no, then what they're planning is not a candidate forum.

Onaway is a great school, but since this group came along, we've lost two excellent superintendents, a popular principal, a great football coach, and some amazing teachers. Our pool of applicants for teaching jobs has shrunk. Important work that a school board should be doing has been ignored by the very people who have chosen to leave their chairs empty tonight.

Whether you attend the event or not, I hope the thinking people of this community vote for sensible candidates. Let's show the haters in our school district that we outnumber them, and we don't share their nasty, negative views.

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