What is going on with our elected officials lately? Public outbursts, tantrums, accusations, veiled threats — even name-calling and swearing that makes us think the board room is appearing more like a school playground.

The most recent episode was at Monday’ city council work session, when board member John Martin literally started a verbal fight with Mayor John Stiehm, mocking his previous job as a “cop” and using profanity most of us would never use against someone in private, let alone at a public meeting.

The Austin School Board may not have been using four-letter words with each other (at least to our knowledge), but they have not been any better in the past six months, with finger-pointing, animosity, and accusations without providing any evidence to back them up. The split board needs to put aside their differences — and they do have them, they will admit outside of meetings — and work to manage the district as well as seek a new superintendent who will fit the needs of the district.

Are these the people we elected to run our government? When they initially filed their candidacies, was this what they had in mind, or is it just cases of tempers and egos gone out of control?

Regardless, these officials need to learn communication by talking to each other in a civil manner to work out problems and live up to their potential as excellent leaders, which most of them are and can be. They are public figures who must set good examples to be respected and trusted within the community.

Just like we learned in kindergarten, you must play nice with others on the playground, or in this case, board room.