To the editor:

Politics have no place in education. Making Lee County’s superintendent an elected position goes against everything education stands for.

Go back to the origins of education. A lot of us are striving for our children to go on to the next level: A university. The word university is derived from the Latin: Universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which roughly means “community of teachers and scholars.”

To me this means an atmosphere of free learning. Whatever you desire to learn. Learn it.

Let’s break this down to the K-12 level. We are trying to nurture our children to be prepared to learn at their highest level — whatever that level may be.

Now, Lee County voters are being asked to oust the recently hired and very popular Lee County School Superintendent Christopher Bernier, who was appointed/hired from a national pool of candidates. If Lee County votes for this referendum, the Superintendent of Lee County public schools will become an elected position.

Lee County quit electing superintendents back in the 1970s.

On your next ballot you will be asked whether or not you want your Superintendent to be elected OR appointed/hired by the nonpartisan school board. Don’t be fooled. The wording is tricky. If you think the position of superintendent should be filled by a partisan politician who focuses significant energies on fundraising, vote yes. If you think the highest officer in our school district overseeing our kids’ futures and education should be non-partisan VOTE NO!

The wordy referendum will appear at the end of ballot and it essentially asks if you want to elect your next superintendent.

Guess what else: No qualifications are necessary but to be 18 years old, a citizen/resident of Lee County and not adjudicated a felon. Is this someone you want overseeing your child’s education?

In the best case scenario to help our children succeed, our superintendent needs to be credentialed and knowledgeable as well as show prior success in the job.

We need someone with experience and a pedigree to run a school system the size of Lee County, especially as we continue to grow.

If this referendum passes, the school board cannot fire the elected official — no matter how bad they are. Recalls are not permitted under Florida law. We would have to wait until the next term to vote them out.

Lee County is the ninth largest school district in the state.

And to those running for school board right now: Let me remind you this is not a cushion job. In 1994, a teacher who resigned because of stress, fatally shot his former superintendent before killing himself. You might recognize the name of the man fatally shot: Lee County Schools Superintendent James Adams was shot five times and died. A building is now named in his honor and service.

Certain politicians talk about wanting less government while they are trying to make our most treasured and valued assets — our children — victims of politics by making the highest office in a school district partisan.

SAY NO. Do not let politics disrupt our children’s lives and education. For more information, you can visit qualityschoolsforthefuture.com.

Melinda Clarkson Isley,

born in Lee County, 4th generation Floridian