Community, Humility, and Democracy Return to Harrisburg School District
In all my years in and around politics, I have to tell you, the results of tonight’s Harrisburg School Board election are about as satisfying as anything I’ve ever experienced.
And that’s including Sen. Barack Obama sewing up the Democratic Presidential nomination a couple weeks ago.
Incumbents Jon Loos and Dan Hensch are out. Challengers Penny Rydberg and Josh Sisson are in. And in REALLY big.
The results:
Sisson: 807 votes
Rydberg: 754 votes
Hensch: 294 votes
Loos: 267 votes
Sisson and Rydberg won by nearly three to one.
That, my friends, is a thumping. A landslide. A mandate.
The seeds of his were planted soon after Hensch and Loos were elected three years ago. Their arrogance and self-serving attitudes didn’t endear them to Harrisburg patrons. But the last straw was last June when they ran popular high school principal Keith Huber and well respected superintendent Jim Hargens. The Huber situation was particularly poorly handled, with Loos and Hensch on the one hand saying they couldn’t discuss Huber’s non-renewal because it was a personnel matter then on the other refusing to take testimony from the public at a meeting.
They and their little buddy Ron Albers added insult to injury by telling the throng of us at a meeting after the Huber debacle that we were not representative of the district as a whole in our support of Keith.
I guess not. There were even more people than us who were at the meetings who were honked off about what was going on. See today’s election results for proof.
A close knit community was torn apart. And it was all so unnecessary.
And it was their fault.
Prior to a few years ago, the Harrisburg School Board handled growth issues quietly and effectively. While there may have been disagreements, all voices were heard and respected. Neighbors listened to neighbors. Then Albers, Loos, and Hensch got on the board, trying to make it more “profesional” and instituted changes without the input or support of the people.
I hope current—for now—superintendent Jim Holbeck pays close attention to the election results. He has allied himself with the Albers-Loos-Hensch Axis. Two of those axis members will be gone in less than a month.
Holbeck’s “my way or the highway” approach with patrons, staff, and students might have been supported when the Axis were in place. But not anymore. And my insiders tell me that Holbeck isn’t likely to get the message and offer olive branches to Rydberg and Sisson. I hope he does. But I give Holbeck a year—tops—in Harrisburg. And then he’ll likely be moving along too.
These victories by Josh and Penny were well earned. They campaigned hard and on the issues facing the district. But the citizens also said that open government is important, that a little humility isn’t a bad thing in our leaders, and that the Harrisburg School District—TigerNation—is a democracy after all.
Technorati Tags: Harrisburg, South Dakota, Harrisburg Tigers, Jon Loos, Dan Hensch, Josh Sisson, Penny Rydberg, Ron Albers, Jim Holbeck
Todd Epp
in Education, Harrisburg, SD, 2008 Election
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Reader Comments (4)
Todd,
I hear Holbeck sent a nasty letter to HEA condemning their endorsement of Sisson/Rydberg. The word is the endorsement would hinder their future negotiations... I guess they don't have to worry with Sisson and Rydberg. Perhaps Holbeck needs a refresher in the first amendment. Scary!
Friend:
I had heard the same thing. The NEA and its local affiliates are all about political involvement. Can't believe a superintendent wouldn't understand that.
Todd
Todd, I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Supt. Holbeck. I think he had better learn to talk less and listen a lot more to the people that really know what we need for our kids - the principals and teachers. He should listen and respond respectfully to the comments and/or questions he receives from the community members and make sure that he is careful who he forms his alliances with....how fast they can change. Here's to a more positive relationship between our school board, the administration, the teachers and the community. After all, we're in this for the kids. They are what is truly important!
"I heard that he sent a letter ..." I am so tired of gossip of this nature from folks in this town (sounds exactly like some of the accusations lobbed by the angry townsfolk during one of the infamous “Torches and Pitchforks” school board meetings over the past couple of years). It is unacceptable for you, Todd, as a blogger, to not only repeat the gossip, but to lend credibility toward the gossip ( "I heard that too" ) ... all without producing a scintilla of evidence.
Todd, I would encourage you to do that which a real news-breaking blogger would do -- rather than simply repeat gossip - gain a copy of the letter and post it on your blog.