Posted 11:38 PM by Susan Darst Williams

FAREWELL, WILMOT & PILLER: LOOK FOR THE UNION LABEL

Nebraska education activists will present armfuls of appreciation gifts to two outgoing members of the Nebraska State Board of Education who were defeated for reelection by challengers heavily funded by the state teachers' union.

Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City and Kathryn Piller of Omaha will be terribly missed as voices of reason and good representatives of parents and students on that board. Go Big Ed wishes them the very best.

Education Week covered the Nebraska state board race in its Nov. 20 issue, and quoted Mrs. Wilmot as saying that the union dollars and last-minute automated phone banks to western Nebraska voters featuring a young child urging a vote for the union-backed candidate were sad to see in an education race.

She said, "Running for office should be about people and constituents rather than who speaks for the union. I'm not a rubber-stamp vote."

Sigh.

A salute to two of Nebraska's finest education leaders, and may we see them again in leadership roles soon.