SOUTH WHIDBEY RECORD: Damian Greene resigning from school board

After 10 years of service on the South Whidbey School Board, Damian Greene announced at Wednesday’s school board meeting that he is resigning his position as of January 1, 2022. “I think it’s a good time to go,” said Greene. “There’s differences here that we definitely have, of opinion.”

In a letter he sent to his fellow school board members, he said there are issues that he “can no longer support in good conscience.”

In Greene’s letter, he wrote:

“It is obvious with the continued decline in our enrollment that our school district education is no longer a place of neutrality, but rather a public forum with a political agenda. For the first time in non-partisan elections we experienced the endorsements of school board candidates from a political party.”

“Considering the challenges due to the politicization of our schools, I believe my time, efforts, and knowledge would be more beneficial outside the board.”

Following Damian Greene’s announcement at the school board meeting, Board Chairman Brook Willeford said “I have always valued particularly your institutional knowledge of the district and the board and how work is done and also your foresight and thoughtful commentary and oversight on financial issues in particular.”

Willeford stated in an email to the South Whidbey Record, “that Willeford was endorsed by Island County Democrats in the 2019 election and that enrollment in the South Whidbey School District has been declining for the past 20 years.”

Superintendent Jo Moccia said, “Damian, I’ve always appreciated your leadership on the board and your work for the community. It’s truly been a pleasure.”

For more details, see the story by Kira Erickson.