It has recently come to my attention that multiple residents of the Cold Spring School District have been threatened with court action by an employee of the district. Why? Because they have been asking questions, expressing their opinions and sharing published information regarding the proposed bond measure and the fiscal operations of the district.
Yes, it has come to this.
Most residents of the district had no idea that the governing board and the administration were considering a bond measure until they may have read about it in local newspapers last month. We are all playing catch-up here – asking questions; trying to get information; asking to have access to an “informational” webinar, which was hosted Wednesday by the superintendent/principal. (We were denied the opportunity to participate in the webinar to present an opposing view).
There have been no community forums, no direct mailings and no solicitation of community input regarding a needs assessment or design plan. No opportunities were directly offered to the current parents or the wider community to participate in crafting the proposed project list.
When we ask to be included, we are ignored or denied. When we request information, we are told that it doesn’t exist. When we ask questions or express opinions, we are slapped with a “cease-and-desist” demand or threatened with a lawsuit.
The district could have chosen to embrace the opposing viewpoints and work together with the community to reach consensus. It makes me so sad that they have chosen instead to stifle and silence and threaten community members who are just trying to find out what the hell is going on.
Katherine Davidson
Santa Barbara
