To the Editor:

Within these last couple of months I have witnessed some SAD 17 School Board members not following the Director’s Code of Conduct and choosing to make decisions that are impacting the function and integrity of our SAD 17 School Board. That Code of Conduct is important to how the board operates and keeps it functioning as a whole instead of as 22 separate members in our SAD 17 community. With my recent resigning from the School Board, I feel that I can finally speak out against this behavior.

Bob Jewell’s behavior has impacted the board in a negative way. He has continually acted as a bully by speaking over others, making disparaging remarks, continuing to bring up matters (that have been settled) for his own public gain, spreading misinformation, etc. Our district is working hard on the bullying issues in our schools and it is ironic and disappointing to see a school board member acting in such a way. He has broken the Director’s Code of Conduct by speaking out against proposed policy ACAAA at a selectmen meeting, signing the Paris recall papers, publicly calling out staff and other board members, etc. While Bob has been confronted about some of these issues he continues to do as he pleases with no regard to the Director’s Code of Conduct.

Within the last few months there have been five violations that I have seen, though I have heard that there were others before my time on the board. At this point we have a pattern of behavior and that behavior is destroying what the board is supposed to be doing and working towards as a whole. I am in fear that this behavior will spread and we will lose other members of our board who are trying to focus on our kids. I hope that the community will look at what Bob is doing and see the destruction that it is doing to the integrity of the board.

Our district leaders and those on the board who are working so hard for our children deserve better. There are wonderful things happening in our schools and it is because of the hard work that our district leaders, administration, teachers, and staff are doing. I do not want that to be overshadowed by what Bob has done and what he continues to do.

Shauna Broyer