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Tell Us What You Think

We invite readers to write us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org to share your thoughts on SUSD Governing Board member Carine Werner’s alleged hot mic statements body-shaming a district employee. Please limit your letter to 300 words or less, and include your name, city and contact number in your email.

We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, which can be found at yourvalley.net/civility-checklist.

Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board member Carine Werner, who also is a state senator, is taking heat for an alleged hot mic mishap in which she appears to call SUSD’s director of Nutrition Services “morbidly obese” during a presentation about a program in which the district and Scottsdale Community College cooperated to provide food for kids this summer. Here’s a selection of what Scottsdale Independent readers had to say on social media:

From Facebook

• “Is Carine a doctor to determine a medical condition, and comment on it during a meeting?” — Jason Alexander
• “Calling one of your directors that is super unprofessional. Wonder what she says about everyone else including students?” — Taylor Dulake
• “I think the fact that Werner was so dismissive of a presentation regarding feeding hungry children is far more problematic than any insults she levies at district employees, students or her constituents. If Werner doesn’t have the patience to learn about the number of hungry children in her community and how many meals were provided, one has to wonder why she is sitting on a school board or on the state Senate Education Committee. If you don’t care about hungry, vulnerable children getting necessary food to live, you’ve got no business making any decisions regarding children’s education. She should resign.— Jennifer A. McDowell
• “Horrible representation of the school district. So many bright lights that are overlooked by this ugly incident.” — Eric Kurland

 From NextDoor

• “Get rid of her immediately. Body-shaming is never OK.” — Gina B.