Gordon Clay here. I spoke at the Brookings-Harbor School Board meeting last night. I told them that this is the best school board I have seen in the 12 years I've lived here. But there are aways areas that could be improved.

The November 6 special board meeting was the first board meeting I hadn't been able to attend this school year because I was working with the 7th and 8th graders at Rogue River High School and couldn't make it back in time.

At that meeting I was verbally attacked, and my character, intent and actions, involving this school district, were called into question. A request for a meetinjg to address these concerns has not been answered.

I did address the complaint that I hadn't made any constructive contributions in the last four years. You be the judge. Our organization has spent over $2,000 in these and other efforts. Eight years sponsoring the Through My Eyes essay contest.l. A million dollar Stay in School program Brian Wood had approved before he mysterious left. Providing over 1,600 orange wrist bands and book marks for Bully Prevention. Acquiring the Bully movie for the only public theater showing within 2 hours of Brookings, the Dorothy Shull memorial stone and a number of other activities.

Since September, the public hasn't been allowed to speak at the July regular board meeting or at any of the 15 hours of special board meetings I have attended which are meant to fully explore a topic before a vote is taken, according to policy. Unfortuantely, that just hasn't happened, especially when policies are passed that against the law

I asked if they were really interested in transparence and community involvement? If so, I asked them to provide proof to the community that they can be trusted to make this school district the safest possible so all children will stay in school through graduation and get the education they will need. We'll see if they'll take the challenge.