Mary Jo Kwiatek: Thank you for voting no on Zoie Saunders

This commentary is by Mary Jo Kwiatek of Bennington, a special educator.

I would like to thank the senators who listened to their constituents in voting no on Zoie Saunders’ nomination .

From what I understand, a vast majority of the emails, calls and conversations at your local stores were from professionals in the field of education, myself included. (I have been an educator for more than 40 years.) Teachers, principals, superintendents and unions were unprecedentedly all in agreement that Saunders was not qualified for the job.

I sent senators an email last week. I heard from several who told me that they were planning to vote no. Not one of the senators who voted yes took the time to respond to me to explain any reason why they were voting yes, including the two Democratic senators from my own district. Several Republican senators have been quoted saying that the dissent they encountered was “toxic” or a “personal attack.”

As state Sen. Nader Hashim, D-Windham, said , “Being found unqualified for a job is not a personal attack.” I appreciate Sen. Ruth Hardy’s comment that she found that “people were speaking from the heart … out of love for their public schools, out of love for their communities.”

I would remind the Republican senators and the two Democratic senators from my own district that you are voted in to represent what your constituents want and need. If they disagree with you, that is not a personal attack.

I’m sorry Sen. Brian Campion, D-Bennington, was sad that his candidate did not get the yes votes he was hoping for. It’s not the end of democracy. It is democracy in action. It’s not a good look to blame your constituents if they disagree with you.

Arguments in favor of the candidate were that she was “smart,” a “nice person,” and “had vast experience.” None of those generic comments make anyone suitable for this position. They describe me, and I am not qualified for this position. Would you hire someone to be an operating room surgeon whose experience was selling pharmaceuticals? She simply did not have the experience required for this position. It wasn’t personal.

Speaking of personal, no one suffers more personal attacks than teachers, specifically public school teachers. We hear it from supervisors, superintendents, students, parents, community members and politicians. The current war on educators — and especially those in public school education — is exhausting, harmful, and demoralizing.

The fatigue that we are experiencing is responsible for the mass exodus that schools are dealing with. Teachers are leaving to work at Costco, in restaurants or driving trucks, often making more money than they did in teaching. Most teachers, myself included, hold second or even third jobs to make ends meet.

I am unclear what Gov. Phil Scott will do or even has the power to do regarding putting Saunders in office permanently. More and more, the Republican party takes away the rights and voices of its citizens. For now, I thank those of you who listened to your constituents.

Read the story on VTDigger here: Mary Jo Kwiatek: Thank you for voting no on Zoie Saunders .