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MCCSC School Board must respect taxpayers, Part 2

By Scott Tibbs, September 29, 2005

The Monroe County Chronicle unloaded on MCCSC School Board President Sue Wanzer for her inexcusable behavior at last week's School Board meeting.

The Herald-Times has yet to report on Wanzer's outburst. Unfortunately, that is not a surprise. Once again, people in Bloomington and Monroe County have to go to an alternative news source for a big story. Fortunately, www.ConservaTibbs.com and the Monroe County Chronicle are here to expose what the H-T refuses to print.

And this is a big story. An elected official actually ripped up materials presented to her by citizens! Can you imagine the howling that we would hear from the Left if a Republican on the County Council or county Planning Commission were to show similar disrespect for his/her constituents and the First Amendment? You can be assured that if a conservative ripped up materials presented to him or her by constituents that the story would be plastered across the front page of the Herald-Times.

I said in my letter to Ms. Wanzer that she should resign from the School Board. At the very least, she should step down as president of the School Board, because she has proven herself unworthy of that office.

Elected officials are put into office by the voters to represent us, not to rule us. Our founding fathers set up a constitutional republic to this end. I do not expect elected officials to base every vote on what the constituents think. In fact, I prefer someone who stands by his or her principles (such as Democratic City Councilor Andy Ruff and Republican Congressman John Hostettler) to someone who practices "government by poll". I respect someone who has the courage to vote his or her convictions even if it might result in fewer votes or even losing an election.

What Wanzer did last week, though, was far beyond simple disagreement with constituents' objections and standing by her principles. Her actions were an outrageous show of contempt for all people residing within the boundaries of the Monroe County Community School Corporation. She broke the trust placed in her by voters and proved herself unworthy of elected office.