All the flack surrounding the three Board of Trustees’ firing President Don Bressler at Renton Technical College is a stark reminder of how power can be used or abused in the hands of a few people who are “in control,” but allowed to get “out of control” just because they can. This prompted me to share my experience with the Renton School District Board of Directors at a meeting where a group of African Americans were the recipients of power-abuse and mal-treatment.

We were holding an orderly protest at the July 15 board meeting and were admonished by the only African American on the board that our applause following one of our presenters was “disruptive.” We found this appalling as no one else had been given such restrictions and freely applauded and waited for the second audience comment to address this to the board and President Al Talley. I personally asked the question to the president, “Since when has applause been inappropriate or disruptive?” Even though these meetings are public forums and the public is entitled to know the proceedings, the minutes of that meeting state “There were no delegates from the floor” for that portion of the audience comment. That speaks for itself.

Whether elected by the citizens or appointed by the governor, whether paid or volunteers, people who choose to sit on boards should serve with fairness, integrity, impartiality and commitment to the community. They should be held accountable for their actions and not allowed to abuse their authority “just because they can” without public outcry.

Beatrice Clark

Renton