*Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of The Messenger
Dear Bobby,
Their names are written on the proud rolls of Kenyon High School graduates from a time long since gone. As future K-12 educators, people like Chuck, Cindy, Mary Gail, and Mary once walked the same hallways that you and I walked; claimed many of the same loyalties that you and I claimed, and on the day of graduation, they left the building with many of the same aspirations that you and I had. Not only were they Vikings then, but I have a feeling that their hearts still hold a special place for the maroon and gold...as they should.
Bobby, as I reflect on the names of the aforementioned Kenyon graduates, I now realize that this is where our paths diverge. You see, their focus is on a small group of alumni that will help them to build a monument for the past. One covered with names and made of mortar and hand-carved Indiana limestone. We, on the other hand, require no name recognition. Rather, it is our focus to find large numbers of people from the communities of Kenyon and Wanamingo who will help us to build a monument for the future. One that is in the best interests of our children and grandchildren; one that will restore our place in the educational community...going forward.
Six months ago I started sending letters to the Kenyon Messenger due to the fact that our school board representatives were ignoring the pleas of people like you and me. Driven by a concern for what is happening in public education today, my primary focus was to get people's attention. Armed with data and the kind of firsthand information that should make them aware of what is happening to the proud reputation of our “old” alma mater, it was my hope that it might help to generate a response worth noting...and it did. The response was SILENCE.
On May 9, 2022, I received a letter from the KHS Monument Committee. As previously noted, they are searching for alumni willing to make a 'monetary contribution' to a project that 'will honor the quality of the Kenyon School, the Kenyon Community, and all who may have entered through these pediments.' For some, a worthy cause; for others, it remains low on their list of priorities at a time when our great Republic and its public schools are in serious, serious trouble.
On May 11, 2022, I sent a letter to a member of the KHS Monument Committee. As part of my response, I included an excerpt from a letter I had sent to the Kenyon-Wanamingo School Board on August 20, 2021. Representing just one of over a dozen letters and emails I have sent them (not one of them was ever answered), I chose to reject SILENCE and make reference to an upcoming school board meeting with the following quotation: “On Monday night, parents are going to begin a push-back that has started across the country. While there was a time when communities could trust their teachers, administrators, and school boards, that time has now passed. The enemy is now within...and we are coming for you.”
Subsequent to my letter to the school board, the Superintendent of Schools used this euphemism to file harassment charges against me. These charges were not only used to prevent me from coming on campus and debating him on the merits of their November 2, 2021, Operating Levy Referendum, but it was actually used as a way to SILENCE me for an entire calendar year. If not for the efforts of the Kenyon Police Department, they would have prevented me from attending an awards ceremony that included the recognition of my wife. As for a reply from the KHS Monument Committee seeking a 'monetary contribution' from alumni like you and me, their response was SILENCE.
Finally, as I reflect on what I have observed since moving back to Kenyon (1987), it has now become apparent that the school district's patrons have unwittingly put their trust in the wrong places. While no one wants to admit that student achievement and the overall quality of education once experienced by members of the KHS Monument Committee no longer exists, it does not change the fact that it happens to be true. But here is the “given” that cannot be denied. Under the right kind of leadership standards and skills, the school district can be restored to its proper place in the educational community. As for the communities of Kenyon and Wanamingo, I have found them to be good people; industrious people; people who want the best for their children and grandchildren today, tomorrow, and into the future. It is time for the journey to begin.
In closing, let me paraphrase the final paragraph of the letter I sent to the KHS Monument Committee. Although it has now been over two weeks without a reply, I remain hopeful that residents of the respective communities will no longer maintain their SILENCE in the face of resistance from the school board, the superintendent, or any other forces that could negatively impact the future of our children and grandchildren. After all, they (the patrons) are the ones who will ultimately determine the long-term success of the Kenyon-Wanamingo School District. I leave them with the following thoughts to ponder:
So what is the point and where am I going with my concerns? First, your committee needs our help to complete your goal. Second, the children and grandchildren of our school district needs our help to reach their goals. And third, the job cannot be finished if we are going to sit on the sidelines and hope it will get better by itself. So maybe...just maybe we can help each other before it is too late. Call me....
Godspeed my friend,
Dr. James Russell Lehman, '63
215 Trondheim Road
Kenyon, MN 55946
507-273-7635
