To the editor:

I feel compelled to respond to Matt Withers’ comments regarding Leonard Ortiz and his decision to walk out on the school board meeting (Public Forum, Nov. 16). It seems to me that Mr. Withers’ comments are ill-focused. ALL of our school board members dedicate immense amounts of their time to their duties, which benefit our entire community, and for which we are appreciative, THANK YOU!

I can only imagine that coordinating the schedules of seven board members is an ongoing and tedious task. To identify one board member as having excessive influence over the entire board’s calendar is ill-focused. Board calendar issues are decided by the board as a whole, not an individual member. It seems that Mr. Ortiz needs to show a little more patience in working within the constraints of the seven-member board that he was elected to by the citizens of our community.

Tracy Kihm,

Lawrence