I am writing in support of Siri Bliesner for Position 5 on the Lake Washington school board. Since moving to Redmond a dozen years ago, our family has gotten to know Siri and her family very well. They have a deep sense of obligation to make our community a better place.

As I have watched her serve on the school board for the last eight years, I have often been floored by the complexity of doing that job well. “Obvious” good ideas, more frequently than not, turn out to have many subtle consequences, which need to be explored and potentially mitigated. The many state rules and regulations that our schools and our board are subject to often constrain how quickly things can be done, how they are done, or if they can be done at all. This is where Siri shines. Not only does she explore school issues at a deep level (a true policy wonk), she understands how to use the tools available to the board to take action and execute change. You would be hard pressed to find many others that have her deep, hard-won expertise on all things school board.

But being an outstanding school board member is more than just technical execution. It takes wisdom, heart and, most of all, a willingness to fight for what is right for our kids. As parents, many of us advocate for our kids. Siri advocates for all the kids. She is driven by equity issues and ensuring that every kid has a chance to thrive — particularly the ones that have sometimes been invisible or forgotten.

For these reasons, I am endorsing Siri Bliesner’s re-election to the Lake Washington school board.

Paul H. Dietz

Redmond