The school board's goal

We live in a society run by professionals. Many feel they need a college degree to get a job, positions ask for degrees and a certain years of experience and most have dealt with the frustrating you-need-experience-to-get-a-job,-but-you-need-a-job-to-get-experience dilemma.

So when I tell you that the group of individuals who run our local schools should be amateurs, you may balk – and I wouldn’t blame you. When I hired people to work for the university newspaper, I looked for experience. Training someone new is a fun challenge, but it’s also a time-consuming, costly challenge that may not work out.

But we have to keep in mind that a school is not a business (despite what popular culture conveys.) Therefore, we should not rely on business practices to dictate how we manage schools.

Linus Wright’s third point states:  

3. A governance model must be developed which includes required qualifications for school board members along with term limits.

His point is vague, but to be fair, he chooses to be vague in order to keep his document under five pages … it’s more likely that the Texas legislature will read and act if it’s brief. Because he is vague, I’ll fill in the gaps on what we should require from our school boards

            To Wright’s notions, I say this. The state and communities do lay out specific qualifications (such as age, etc.) that school board members must adhere to. This is logical. If, by qualifications, he means that they must have taught for so many years, etc. I would have to disagree, for reasons I’ll state below.

            As for term limits, I’m not sure what he plans to accomplish with this. Until more voters take an interest in school boards, this idea will only complicate elections. In many communities, there are few enough citizens willing to serve. If the state limits terms, then some communities may be limited to partial boards or a lack of a board. Surely this isn’t what Wright wants.

In Texas, school boards trustees are elected. The elections have low voter turn out and the federal and state governments have attempted to decrease school board’s power as of late. But, in its purest form, the school board has a lot of influence and power over school policies. Naturally, their priority should be student learning and development.

School boards responsibilities include:

Create policy (this includes setting policies on academics, finances, student conduct and discipline, student transportation, curriculum and textbook approval and personnel)

Manage funds and resources

Appoint superintendent

Evaluate schools, personnel and policies

Handle legal matters

Tax

Hold meetings

            This is a brief, over-arching look at the many complicated tasks the school board oversees. At this point you might ask why amateurs should run such complex matters. But if we look at the purpose of a school board, I think you’ll come to agree.

            A school board is, as some call it, one of the last examples of grassroots democracy.  Individuals that are well-known in their community are elected by people who trust them. School board members are leaders from all walks of life – businessmen, educators, church leaders, farmers, parents, etc. They hail from the days of Congressman Sam Rayburn, who welcomed constituents into his home to hear their issues and problems. They represent the people who elected them, and not the Texas Education Agency or federal education department. I realize there are school board members who abuse their power and don’t adhere to these standards, but a properly functioning school board member would adhere.

Howard Good, a former school board member from New York, puts it this way:

What some consider a major weakness of school boards – that they are directed by well-meaning amateurs – Davies and Hosler (authors of a book on school boards) considered a major strength.

These well-meaning amateurs are considered a strength because of their direct contact and influence with the community. 

            The school board relies on their superintendent and principals to provide details on curriculum and other decisions. This keeps the school board from micromanaging and allows the superintendent to do his or her job while reporting to the board. Of course, this requires the school board to be made of informed individuals who can make decisions. Otherwise you’re left with a superintendent who is forced to run the school board while also answering to them, or a school board who willingly accepts every suggestion from the superintendent, without consideration.

            But a well-informed group of leaders who can represent their community, think critically, juggle the necessary duties, work closely with their superintendent and principals and prioritize student learning and development, regardless of their background, will lead their district to a higher level of learning and achievement.

Isn’t that our goal?