As a resident of Port for 40-plus years, and as a professional educator for half a century, I have witnessed the comings and goings of many school boards and school board members. Certainly, there has not always been a clear consensus on school issues, nor have I always been in agreement with board decisions. At least in the past, however, school boards dealt with school matters and the education of Port's children. Unfortunately, one must conclude from recent articles and letters to the editor that education is no longer the main focus of some of our elected board members. I refer specifically to Mr. Sussman and Mr. Zimmerman. They have allowed personal animosities to interfere with the "common sense" that they, together, professed in their bond plan of a year ago. It would seem, for whatever the personal reasons, that neither one is any longer capable of reasonable or objective attention to the educational needs of our school district. Therefore, if they really do care about the schools, it might be well for both of them to remove themselves from the school board until such time when they can function as civil and courteous representatives of the community, the kind of school board members that our enlightened community deserves for our schools, our children and our future.

Dr. Bernard Schneider, Ed.D.