Editor,

In response to the results of last week’s election, I am deeply heartened to live in a community that prioritizes not only excellence, experience, inclusion and equity in our educational system but health and safety as well.

I have a son who goes to South Whidbey High School and is one of the few students of color. The resounding victory of Marnie Jackson, Ann Johnson and Andrea Downs in the South Whidbey School Board race assure me that the needs of my son, as well as those of his peers, teachers and staff at South Whidbey High School, will be thoroughly and thoughtfully considered.

Their election also means I don’t have to worry about whether my son is being protected from exposure to COVID-19 at school — or that the curriculum will be based on debunked science or distorted information about the racist history of our country. Instead, he will be taught to respect and celebrate diversity (including his own heritage) and to think critically about the choices we continue to make as a society that undermine the health and well-being of vulnerable populations and our planet as a whole.

With this kind of education, he can be a vital part of the growing movement of young people who want to move away from divisiveness, bigotry and reactivity towards a future in which equity, health, compassion and justice are at the center of our decision-making on every level of society. Let’s continue to give Marnie, Ann and Andrea our full support as they and the rest of the School Board address the challenges ahead.

Elise Miller

Freeland