Dear Tillamook County Friends,
I taught for 13 wonderful years at East School in Tillamook and 13 wonderful years for Beaver Grade School which later became a part of the Nestucca Valley School District. In addition I worked with Tillamook County’s Outdoor School planning and directing the program for most of 36 years. Imagine my surprise when read a card received in my mail today that has the Title “Tillamook County Retired Educators and Teachers Endorsements for May 16 Election.” Why am I surprised? No one invited me to join such an organization if there is one. And I know other retired teachers who are not a part of this group. Honestly, I am offended that other people might think after reading this card that I am a part of this group of retired educators and teachers. I don’t appreciate the implication. And I am sure many others also do not like the implication in the title.
Several weeks ago I was forwarded an email that was sent out to a group of people and then had been forwarded a number of times through other people who added their comments. It included comments such as, “Are conservatives trying to take over?” “A group of educators has formed a PAC (Tillamook County Retired Educators and Teachers – TREAT) to let the public know about the potential right-wing takeover of the Tillamook County School Boards.” Also in the letter the Tillamook Democracy Project is mentioned. On the Rural Organizing Project website it is stated that “Eventually, the county democrats agreed to collaborate with them (referring to the Tillamook Democracy Project) on local, nonpartisan races.
Look, if Democrats want to form a PAC made up of retired educators and teachers go for it. But name your group appropriately with the word Democrat in the title. Online on the TREAT website there is a statement, “The organization is not affiliated with any political party.” Really! Really?
I do NOT want anyone to think that ALL or even a majority of retired educators in Tillamook County and/or ALL or even a majority of teachers in Tillamook County are a part of TREAT, and yet the current title of this group seems to imply that all or most retired educators and teachers are in this group.
I know a number of the candidates who are not supported by TREAT, and I had already decided that my votes in this upcoming election will be for many of those candidates. I will use the card I received today in the mail that was intended to encourage votes for a certain 4 people running for the Nestucca Valley School District Board and 5 people running for Tillamook Bay Community College Board in this way . . . I am voting for each of the opponents of those listed on the TREAT card. For Nestucca Valley School District that includes voting for Zachary Best, Sherry Hartford, Norman Loveland and Greg Woods.
Sincerely,
Dean Bones aka Moses
