The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education is seriously thinking about thumbing their noses at the voters and picking their own personal choice to fill the seat vacated by Rosemary Oaks-Lee.

Some of them want to bypass the entire electoral process and once again practice back room politics.

The person next in line, the one picked by the voters, is Joe Leogrande. But apparently there is a problem. Leogrande doesn't always agree with everything the board does. Imagine that? Someone who expresses his own viewpoints and individuality even when it's not popular with the other board members. Diversity means variety.

Good decisions are usually hammered out from opposing viewpoints. Joe has been labeled a troublemaker and an instigator because he is diverse. He says things that are contrary to what most of the school board members want to hear. How dare he. He shall not question those that govern us.

Maybe it's time someone shakes this town up. He might be just what Auburn needs.

Leogrande doesn't just complain about things; he actually goes out and promotes his causes. Joe Leogrande is vocal about what he believes in. Driver education is an example. Not only did he provide sound statistics, he also made Auburnians aware of the driving program by placing signs in citizens' yards.

In addition, he obtained signatures showing that there was a desire by the residents to have the program.

Look, 1,255 people voted for Leogrande. Don't you think that outweighs the school board? The people have spoken; Joe Leogrande should fill the slot.

The seat should not be left vacant and the people should be represented. The taxpayers have already paid for one election and just because the board doesn't like the outcome, doesn't mean it should be able to appoint someone it finds more "desirable." Some of the board members have even pushed for another election in hopes that Leogrande will lose.

They shouldn't be allowed to keep spending thousands of our tax dollars to have more elections until they get what they want. The school district already does that with our budgets. They keep us voting until they wear us down, and then they win.

The school board members should represent us, but very few do. Kent Brandstetter, a current school board member, was once in a position similar to Leogrande in 2000. The board members also had "personality" problems with Kent, so they left that seat vacant. Even back then some board members tried to manipulate the public.

Brandstetter says, "This time I want the people to be heard "....and we're screaming LEOGRANDE loud and clear.

The voters clearly state the seat belongs to Leogrande and rightfully so. Let's watch closely to see which school board members try to put the kibosh to our democratic electoral process.

Ducayne's column appears Tuesdays in The Citizen. She can be reached at sacredheart6005@hotmail.com