Working together

I am writing to thank the Spokane City Council for approving the effort to move forward with fluoridation. This issue turned out to be surprisingly controversial. The council showed a great deal of courage in doing the right thing for children. For that moment, children were a No. 1 priority in our community.

Prior to COVID-19, Spokane County had the highest rate of child abuse and domestic violence in Washington and ranked toward the bottom in many other indicators. Family violence has increased, but we don’t know how much because schools are the No. 1 reporters of child abuse and children are not in school.

As of September, there was an 87% increase in the demand for food in the county. Communities In Schools alone distributed more than $1 million in donated food from the time schools closed until the end of the school year. We see families struggling with online school, technology and having very little access to child care. Schools and nonprofits are doing their best. All these issues are ultimately community issues.

I hope that we can take a comprehensive look at the needs of children in the near future. Doing so would improve the quality of life for all of Spokane County’s citizens. We have some great elected officials that don’t always agree with each other but can work together for the greater good. We are all better off because of our collective concerns for children and families.

Chuck Teegarden, Executive Director

Communities In Schools of Spokane County, Spokane