Voters’ voice endangered

Gov. Gregoire has introduced legislation to take responsibility for public schools away from the elected state superintendent of public instruction, a position recognized by our state constitution, which allows both you and me a voice in who we want to lead our state educational system via the voting process. The governor’s plan would create a governor-appointed secretary of education that would be responsible for overseeing our K-12 system, and would literally take away our voice at the polls.

According to The 2010 Citizen’s Guide to the Washington State Budget, 42 percent of the state general fund is allocated to education. With that noted, I want to retain my rights as a taxpayer to vote for the leadership that will be responsible for the educational needs of the students within our communities and therefore want to retain the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

If our voting rights are gradually stripped away at the state level, I would guess the next step would be to take away our rights to vote for our local school board members.

Don’t let our voices be silenced; preserve the right to vote!

Michael Pearson

Spokane Valley