The Marysville School District has been criticized for being too-much top-down.

What better way to solve that problem than to elect one of those critics to the school board.

While Bruce Larsen has done a fine job the past three years, the potential for what Vanessa Edwards could add to the board is too great for voters to pass up in the Nov. 7 general election.

She would add diversity. Another minority woman on the board would give it greater balance and better reflect an ever-changing makeup of the community.

Edwards is interested in having the district get more involved in the many cultures of its students. Understanding the cultures better can help communication with their parents and help get them more involved.

Edwards is just the opposite of top down. She has worked in the schools as a secretary at Cedarcrest Middle and Marysville Getchell. She has been deeply involved in all of the changes at MG. Because of that she not only listens to problems of all the stakeholders, but also understands them personally. She also has been a PTSA officer and school volunteer. Having someone with that grassroots level of understanding would greatly benefit the school board.

She is not only interested in academic success of students, but also developing them into citizens who possess compassion, work ethic, initiative and their own vision. Those skills are so needed in our society today.

She believes in partnering with the community so students who aren’t going to college can be successful. That effort also would build trust, which could help the district pass much-needed bonds.

As marketing-outreach manager for Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op, she helped rebrand, rebuild and strengthen community relations, even with a tight budget. Sounds like just what the school district needs.

Even Larsen admitted in our editorial interview that, “She’d be great.”

We agree. We appreciate Larsen’s service, but believe Edwards would be a much-needed addition to the school board.