JEFF KIRKMAN

I have pledged to keep this campaign positive and respectful and I want to make sure that I am being as transparent as I can.

I received a request via email to respond to some questions that would be coming to the candidates one at a time with the expectation that my response must be sent back within 24 hours to be posted on a certain Facebook page.

My response was this: "Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your questions. I plan on responding to them but I will post the questions as they come and my responses to my website as soon as it goes live in a couple of days as I am also fielding questions and inquiries from other groups and individuals. Nampa United for NSD and any other individual or group who may not be associated with your organization will have access to them."

The response to that was a bit of a surprise as it stated that the 24 hours mandated for a response is to see if a candidate has the leadership skills necessary for someone on the school board. It was also made quite clear that if I am "unwilling to respond within the time frame it will be noted as such" and "people can form their own opinion based upon... how you choose to follow, or not follow the clearly defined guidelines." The final sentence in the email stated, "We hope you choose to participate in this exercise and play along with the guidelines as established."

Although I have no issue whatsoever responding to questions and inquiries about my opinions and positions on various issues, of course that is what candidates must do, I am a little perplexed that some may assume that one's leadership skills are called into question if they don't respond exactly how they were told to and "play along with the guidelines as established."

So here are my thoughts about this:

1. Leadership is not capitulating to demands of others. Instead what I saw was that if I don’t “play along” you’re not a leader and “it will be noted.” Good leadership skills are not dependent of one’s ability to get your response in within 24 hours. In fact, good leadership skills ensure that you are leading well enough that you don’t end up with deadlines like this.

2. In my line of work for the last 20 years, I deal and work within laws, policies, procedures, rules, etc. on a daily basis and I am very aware that school boards in Idaho operate within their own set of laws, policies, procedures, and rules. Fabricated and arbitrary deadlines for question responses seem to have been set as a way to show that if not met, there is no way a board member will be able to meet any deadline. I hope we don’t lose sight of the big picture and start focusing on irrelevant details.

3. “We hope you choose to… play along with the guidelines as established.” Sorry, I’m not playing games and I don’t give in to demands. One of the issues I feel so strongly about is the fact that there are members of this community who feel that they are being compelled to do things they don’t agree with. Their choice is being taken away regarding some the most important things in their lives – decisions regarding their children and health. I feel that this statement embodies just that sentiment, you have no choice and if you don’t do as we say, then “it will be noted.”

So here is what I will be doing. I will respond to every question that comes my way. I will post the question and answer on my website and link it to my Facebook page and even post the link to the Nampa United for NSD Facebook group – if allowed – but it will not be according to their dictates and demands.

I also would like to comment on the question and answer in a short video that I will post on the website (providing my technological abilities do not fail me) because verbally addressing an issue is sometimes better than the written word.

Feel free to engage