Shawnee Mission wants to ‘stop the ugliness,’ but don’t discourage public debate
Kenny Southwick, the interim superintendent of the Shawnee Mission School District, had a simple and compelling request.
“Stop the ugliness,” he implored the district’s patrons at a Monday meeting.
Earlier, Southwick had asked the lame duck school board to end discussions of extending his contract. Talk of such an extension rattled several residents, leading some incoming board members to ask for a delay.
Southwick said he accepted the need to halt the contract talks. He also said his time with the district may soon come to an end.
“I’m calling tonight for the end of the divisiveness between administrators and our staff and our community,” he said. “Because it does not serve the good of the Shawnee Mission School District.”
There is truth in those words. But they aren’t the whole truth, either.
The Shawnee Mission School District has endured its share of public criticism recently, from the resignation of its superintendent to a restrictive public comment policy to a combative board election. A communications director just quit.
But the fact is all Johnson County governments face an increasingly vocal public. Voters are more than willing to question elected leadership on tax policy, incentives, spending and other critical issues.
This surprises some veterans of Johnson County government. For decades, public officials have enjoyed a largely criticism-free existence, where busy families leave decisions to elected leaders. The phrase “Johnson County nice” comes to mind.
That approach has contributed to a high quality of life. But it has also led to frustration among some citizens who feel their voices are never heard, prompting poor and expensive decisions.
Times have changed. Those citizens now have the tools and the energy to engage with elected leaders. That engagement is healthy and should be encouraged.
Discussion and dissent can turn ugly, as Southwick suggests, when it becomes aggressively personal. It’s also ugly when decision-making becomes an overtly partisan endeavor, turning debates on sidewalks and teachers into cable TV shout-fests.
But Johnson County residents and the Shawnee Mission School District should never fear genuine, fact-based discussions of public issues. It shows people care.
The Shawnee Mission district faces a busy year — a new board, a new superintendent, a statewide discussion of school finance.
That work need not turn ugly, but a healthy dialogue with parents and students about those issues is essential.
This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 4:05 PM with the headline "Shawnee Mission wants to ‘stop the ugliness,’ but don’t discourage public debate."