Stewart: Back Levy, Don’t Punish Kids

In this Coeur d’Alene School District Web site photo, Trustee Brent Regan is sworn in during a meeting of the Coeur d’Alene School Board in December. Regan ignited a firestorm by telling an insensitive anti-Obama joke at a legislative forum in Post Falls Saturday.

The executive board of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations called on the public today to support the two-year maintenance and operation levy this spring — and not punish the Coeur d’Alene School District for an anti-Obama racial comment made by school Trustee Brent Regan Saturday. During a press conference this afternoon re: Regan’s “joke” at a legislative forum in Post Falls, Tony Stewart, secretary of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, said: “We’re 100 percent” in support of the levy,” including the $1.4 million during the first year to upgrade security at district schools. “We should never punish children for what a public official may say.” On March 12, the Coeur d’Alene School District will ask voters to consider approving a two-year levy of $12.9M with an additional $1.4M in the first year for enhancing building security and safety at all our school buildings.  The current $12.9M M&O levy expires in June 2013. More about levy here.

Question: Have you heard anyone say that they won’t support the Coeur d’Alene School District levy as a result of the racial “joke” told by Trustee Brent Regan?