I am writing to support Mr. Valente’s run for the Kaneland School Board. My support is not based on anything that has been said, but on practical experience of dealing with Tony, as my wife and I found ourselves in the unfortunate situation of one of our children having gotten in trouble at school.
I was the one who initially was dealing with a staff member at the high school. At a certain point in the conversation, I felt the need to state that I did not do this—that my child might have done something wrong, but I had not and there was no reason to talk to me in such a fashion. As a citizen and a taxpayer, I felt that I deserved to be spoken to in a better manner. It became quite obvious that the person I was talking to did not care about our child or want to listen at all.
A meeting was set up with the principal, Mr. Valente. Based on that frustrating conversation I had with the previous staff member, we felt it was best that I not attend that meeting. I had a real fear that I might start talking to people at that meeting like I had been spoken to, and that would not have been an appropriate way to act.
So my wife and our child went. They were treated very fairly by Mr. Valente. They were talked to in a respectful manner. The treatment we received in his office was far different than I had received on the phone. The end result was not very different than what the other staff member had described, but we were treated like human beings.
That is why I support Mr. Valente. He did not give us soft treatment—he enforced the rules. But he did it in a calm and professional manner. He and Leigh Jaffke gave the impression that our child had made a mistake, and they were going to work with us to correct things. They actually conveyed the impression that they cared about our child.
What else would you want in a person who is to be involved in our schools? Someone who is fair, reasonable, cares about kids and still enforces the rules.
Mr. Valente has earned my vote.
William T. King, Jr.
Sugar Grove
