Letters: Running for DUSD board instead of saying 'no'

My name is Marc Demers. I am running for a seat on the Dysart Unified School District governing board in this upcoming election. I became involved in the district toward the end of last year during their bond/override election.

Prior to that I did not pay much attention to what was going on in the public schools, other than the daily scandals that made the headlines. For whatever reason in that election, I decided rather than simply and automatically voting “no,” which I had always done, it was probably more community-minded to look into the issues and make a more informed vote.

Without getting into all the ugly details, suffice to say the level of unhinged anger, hatred, and vitriol I encountered was jaw-dropping. 

I turned 60 in March and can say without hesitation that I have never been on the receiving end of such vile, dishonest, slanderous, personal attacks and false accusations. Some of the jobs I had over my career include; lumberjack in Vermont, prison guard in Florida, prison guard in Ohio, armed bank guard, truckdriver all over, as well as many different phases of the construction industry.

In my off time I played in bands from high school up until a few years ago, in some of the roughest, rowdiest dives in the country. I am by no means “thin-skinned or easily offended. I can hold my own. 

None of those past experiences holds a candle to the onslaught of outright hatred, personal attacks, insults, lies and false accusations I had thrown at me during that election — all because I had the audacity to question those involved in the echo-chamber, groupthink subculture of the failed public school system.

It was that disturbing and disgusting experience that prompted me to run for DUSD governing board. I never had any desire to run for any elected office, but for me that election was an “enough is enough” moment.    

Yesterday, I was sent a link to the one-sided editorial opinion you published in the Surprise Independent, “DUSD debating override for voters.” Since getting involved, the one statement I have made over and over is, “If you have to lie and deceive in order to advance your cause, perhaps your cause isn’t worth advancing.”

That phrase came to mind as I read your shamefully biased opinion.

You wrote, “Board member Traci Sawyer-Sinkbeil said she took her own informal poll across Surprise and found overwhelming support for continuing the override.”

What you failed to write is that a mere five months earlier, Nov. 5, 2019, Maricopa County took a not so “informal poll” by way of a legally sanctioned, free and fair, constitutionally authorized, credible election that, in theory, was supposed to be the culmination of that debate and, in accordance with our prescribed form of government and in the interest of fairness, truth and justice for all citizens of this district, settle it.

In that “poll” (i.e. the election), it was “found” that the voters of DUSD “overwhelmingly” (by a 12% margin of victory), opposed “continuing the [temporary] budget override.” That is the direct opposite of what Traci Sawyer-Sinkbeil’s “informal poll” “found.” I think it’s interesting which “poll” you chose publish.

Editor’s Note: The Surprise Independent did a bond and override previously failed in 2019, which was a major angle in the story.