With the recent announcement that Tom Jacobs is stepping down from the Riverside-Brookfield High School Board of Education (“District 208 school board member resigns post,” News, July 21), I wanted to express my support that Wes Smithing be named his replacement. In the most recent election completed in April, Wes was the fourth candidate running. I would question the commitment of someone else stepping forward to serve on the board of education if they weren’t interested just a few months ago.
Looking forward of what is best for RB, the students, teachers and community, I feel Wes is a natural selection. Two of board members elected in April are in the same statewide union that the board of education will have to negotiate a new contract with during this term. It is important to have someone on the board who is not in education and also not a member of the same union.
Wes would be the one of two members of the board member with a child enrolled at RB.
Halfway through his first term as a board member, the other board members appointed him board president. That shows their level of respect for him.
Matthew Joseph, Brookfield
