School board member’s online activity

It is my honor to serve on the Mercer Island School Board. Recently, my personal social media has become a topic of commentary. I realize now that when I joined the board, I should have been mindful of how posts I made or interacted with casually in the past might be interpreted in light of my new role. I recognize that my words carry weight and I regret any distress they have caused. Moving forward, I will be much more mindful of how my online activity may be perceived.

Since the posts are in the public domain, I’d like to address them briefly. It has been particularly painful to have charges of antisemitism leveled against me. Like many people of all faiths, I have been deeply upset by the situation in Israel, both the horrific terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, and their long aftermath. I deeply regret that any members of our local Jewish community were upset by my interactions with posts on the subject; it is the last thing I would ever want.

I am an avid reader, particularly of the romance genre. As a reader, I have been active in a community of writers and readers online. These are books written by adults, for adults. Reading and discussing books, in any medium, has been a source of joy for me from childhood onward.

As for the rest, I can only say that I am human. I do swear sometimes, although not in school or professional settings. I am not completely abstemious. I might have a drink to relax at home after a long day. But I do not endorse underage drinking, public drunkenness, or any type of uncivil or illegal behavior.

The past week has been extremely difficult for me on a personal level. It has been equally difficult to know that I have brought distress to my community.

I bring my whole self to my role on the board. I spent my career in public service, and while living on Mercer Island, I have volunteered extensively for our children’s schools, teams, and bands. My commitment to serving our students, families, and educators remains steadfast. I hope we can continue moving forward towards our shared goal of the best possible education for the children of Mercer Island.

Jody Lee, Mercer Island School Board member