The wonderful thing about democracy (when it’s working correctly) is the ability of the population to replace elected officials when they are not doing their job well or are not truly representing their constituents’ beliefs, concerns, or values. Though, that is dependent on having multiple candidates running for a position so voters have a choice. That being said, I’m overjoyed to hear that Megan Wolf has announced her write-in candidacy for the Ward 4 School Committee seat.
Having served as the Ward 4 representative during the tumultuous start to the COVID years, I know how challenging serving on the School Committee can be. Indeed, any public servant who’s worth their weight in salt knows that the issues their community face are not Gordian Knots that can be solved with an easy, single decision. Rather our system of government works by its elected officials working together in a respectful, civil manner that fosters communication and respects experts that provide information which decisions are based on.
Like districts across the commonwealth (Northampton is not unique in this), Northampton’s public schools have opportunities for improvement, but they have much to praise and many successes to celebrate. I do not personally know Megan well, but based on the information I’ve gathered about her and after meeting with her, I feel that she has much to offer as Ward 4’s School Committee representative in moving the district forward. While her name might not be printed on the ballot, I’ll be writing in Megan Wolf as my vote for Ward 4 School Committee.
Sean Condon
Northampton