As we await the posting of the agenda for the next meeting of the Wicomico County Council, I can only hope that discussion of an elected school board will make the agenda. With the General Assembly convening in 13 days, and the deadline for bills in the Senate 37 days (without going through the Rules Committee), time is not a luxury for our newly elected council.
Wicomico County needs an elected school board. We need the measure to appear on the 2012 ballot (so that we can elect a board in 2014 if the measure passes). We also need to give the citizens of our county ample time to study and discuss the matter before it comes up on the ballot.
The case for an elected school board is a simple one:
- Accountability to the voters, rather than to politicians and bureaucrats.
- An incentive for fiscal responsibility, rather than the profligacy of our current system.
- Transparency, rather than hiding in the bureaucratic swamp.
- Building TRUST in a system that is currently broken.
ACCOUNTABILITY
An elected school board would be accountable to the voters of Wicomico County. Currently, they are accountable only to the bureaucrats at the WCBOE, the Maryland State Board, and the Governor. They are only accountable to the Governor to the extent that he could choose not to re-appoint them.
The bureaucrats may argue that the school board is not accountable to them. In theory, this is correct. However, in practice we see a different reality. Bureaucrats guide board members through a maze and achieve their desired results by convincing even the best intentioned board member that only the bureaucrat approved action is the attainable or practical one. Just as we have seen with the Wicomico County Council, an elected board would hopefully learn to stand up to the bureaucracy and demand sound, common sense solution to problems.
FISCAL RESONSIBILITY
Are you aware that there is no public hearing for the WCBOE’s budget? Sadly, it’s true. Sure, the WCBOE has what it CALLS a public hearing on the budget, but it is really nothing more than a forum for every special interest to come forward and ask that their pet programs be funded – or be increased in funding. This so-called public hearing is actually held before the board’s budget is even drawn up.
After the county council adopts a budget, the WCBOE then goes back behind closed doors and completes their actual budget. The council has no approval over the WCBOE’s actual budget – other than the total amount spent. (We’ll mention this again when we discuss “Transparency”).
Under the current structure, board members are not beholding to the citizens of Wicomico County. If we magically agreed to have our tax rates tripled and have it all to the WCBOE, they would be happy to spend it – like drunken sailors on liberty.
Why not? The bureaucrats hold the collective ear of our current board. Their desire is to spend, rather than educate. An elected school board would (in all likelihood) be more conservative when spending the tax payers’ dollars. They certainly wouldn’t be worse.
Why else would a board that claims to be broke, increase retiree health care benefits and just increased the county’s contribution to the retirement of their classified employees?
TRANSPARENCY
As noted above, the current system isn’t very transparent when it comes to the budget process. County council members have had to jump through myriad hoops and even threaten litigation in order to receive information from the WCBOE as to how our money is spent.
Meetings aren’t even broadcast on PAC-14. The board claims not to have the money! Given what is wasted in one month, that shouldn’t be a problem. The real reason is a simple one – the board, and the bureaucrats, don’t want the public to find out what they are doing.
A board that is elected, and therefore accountable, is far more likely to be more transparent.
TRUST
A recent spat occurred because Superintendant John Fredericksen tried to spend funds on projects BEFORE they were approved by the School Building Commission. According to Supt. Fredericksen, there was nothing that needed to be considered so a December meeting of the commission wasn’t called. When council members Gail Bartkovich and Joe Holloway called Fredericksen and the board out, they had to schedule an emergency meeting. This is just a recent example.
Remember the “dirty book scandal”? When it was discovered that wholly inappropriate material was available in an Elementary school library, Fredericksen and board member Mark Thompson told some whoppers. Thompson’s little monologue in the Daily Times wound up being totally contradicted by the WCBOE’s own report on the matter.
These are just a couple of recent examples. We shouldn’t ask our officials to be perfect. We should, however, expect that they be truthful. The crucible of the ballot box can help to ensure this.
A PANACEA?
Will having an elected school board be some “silver bullet” to fiscal sanity and a better education for our children? No. However, it should produce better results than the current system.
Sadly, not all of us want a first rate education for our county’s children. Fortunately, I believe that vast majority of us do. However, many of us want an educational system that focuses on the children rather than the bureaucracy. An elected school board can help us do just that.
19 comments:
Yeah maybe they can start cutting the high paid salaries at the board itself, that would be the first step in cost reduction.
The answer is not another bunch of politicians whose political ambitions are more important than making good (but unpopular) decisions.
Yep because all of our current elected officials practice all the bullet points stated in this article. Please
I agree on the elected BOE, but some points in your argument don't make sense.
1. "An elected board can stand up to local politicians -- 'hopefully'"
How, if they are riding the party lines of local politicians, then they will stand right with the local parties. One of the problems we face right now is the appointed board is supposed to be able to stand up for what is right -- but many times they don't. We have an appointed board that wavers to everything the public says. That is much more common in an elected board (who always has to worry about not being voted in next cycle).
2. budget. Again, I ask, how would having an elected board improve the budget situation? If you are suggesting the BOE propose a line item budget to the county council, then what is the point of the BOE at all? The county council would just hack and slash at the line item budget. Too many chiefs not enough indians in that mix.
Education law is massive, and we are already far from compliance. Having another board hack and slash would only open up more liabilities.
"If we magically agreed to have our tax rates tripled and have it all to the WCBOE, they would be happy to spend it – like drunken sailors on liberty."
That statement is nearly offensive, but also demands a response. Yes, I would love to give each student a laptop. This is not the school of the future, it is the school of the present. Don't ask why our country is falling behind others.
Many of our schools are in disrepair. You are correct in one respect... we have a lot of work to do. Fund us, and we will do it.
I really can't stress education law enough... we spend so much on so small a group of students that it is stunning. This is not our choice, law says we have to.
3. Transparency. I agree that there is a breakdown of trust. I see it every day when parents come in immediately on the defensive for their children. We need to bring that trust back. Parents need to believe that the schools and teachers are really looking out for their kids.
When a teacher calls a parent and reports that Johnny "cursed at and hit the teacher when he was asked to do something" it is not because the teacher wants to 'get' Johnny. It is because we want Johnny to be a productive member our society, and this is not the right way. Believe in the teachers. If you email or call and say Johnny is on punishment at home for XYZ, we will make sure he is on punishment at school. Kids need that consistent message, and teachers are willing to give it. But it really requires that communication and trust be there.
Couldn't agree with you more and I have said it forever, why not an elected school board, just makes sense, but then again, this is Wicomico County, home of the good old boy system.
I kind of agree we need an elected school board, but it will be a lot of fight to get one and I doubt it will make any difference in this county's education or education spending. Look at other areas with elected school boards and you're not going to see much difference from what we're seeing here.
You say it "should" produce better results. Perhaps. But I'd like to see some evidence that it would.
If we are going to be making changes in local government, we should be fighting for more effective things such as a government expenditure limit. Let's direct our energy at tasks that will produce some results. A fight over an elected school will take a lot of time and energy and if we win, it will bring very little (if any) change to our county.
Sure an elected BOE would be great. Lets see Barrie Tilghman, Robin Cockey, Sheilds, Comegys, Lousie Smith would make a great BOE. This post coming from the man who just supported Boda for City Council yesterday.
Most BOE funding is mandated by state and federal laws. Know as unfunded mandates, these laws require programs that cost money, but don't fund them. So, to think that the BOE budget can be magically solved by an elected BOE, Good Luck.
An elected Board has done so well for Dorchester County, their scools are awesome. NOT.
Wicomico County already pays less than most counties in MD for public education and relies mostly on state money.
doesn't matter what or how much wicomico spends on education, looking at the local student population it appears to all be a waste! since when are taxpayers resposible to teach children how to eat? Bad enough we have to pay to feed em, but also spending money on these bs classes? time to gut all those overpaid administrators too, starting with conway!
I agree totally with you, Joe but have some of the same concerns as other commentators. The best way to start in Wicomico County is to get rid of Fredericksen!
when sen. stolsfus (sorry about the spelling) was in office he said he didn't like the idea of an elected school board. he might have changed his mind on this but i think it would be a good idea if someone would discuss this with him. he is a very reasonable man and may be able to give more insight where needed.
Wow, where to start. What good would a public hearing be if it happened AFTER the budget was formed? It's a little late then, don't you think?
And the WCBOE will be getting $2 million LESS from the county this year, and that's after they got $7 million LESS than the '09 FY from the county. The actual funding from Wico. County has gone DOWN the last two years running. Not a lower rate of increase, but actual fewer dollars. What more do you want?
And how in the world does broadcasting meetings on PAC-14 solve anything? Forty percent of the county can't even get it!
GA:
I guess you think that swithching to an elected county exec did all that, too?
I am a retired teacher. Be careful what you wish for. I worked under an elected school board. Getting re-elected seemed to be the top priority of most of the Board members. The president of the Board had no use for teachers and delighted in publicly degrading them. As that case illustrates, any yahoo off the street can pander to the populace and be elected to the school board. Those serving on an elected board, on the other hand, are vetted by their respective Central Committees before their names are forwarded to the governor. Wicomico County has been very fortunate in getting some top-notch Board members. Let's not change the system if it is working for us.
Just another, "good 'ole boy system of things" high paying position to be filled. Something Wicomico does not need with current lay offs, furloughs, pay reductions and the "flight" to other county employement other employees are taking. This is a bad ideal. Remember, the move for a County Executive position. Look what it got Wicomico.
Laurel School District has an elected school board. They just voted 3-2 to not renew the Superintendent's contract even though there was a MASSIVE movement by the people to have the Board renew the contract.
I have never seen teachers, staff, students, and parents be so supportive of a Superintendent. The elected Board did not listen to the people there - the ones who voted to not renew had their own agenda - one who wants to micromanage every little item (day-to-day management is NOT their job), one who rumor has it wants to have a job as a construction manager (the town passed a major referendum that will involve a 5+ year project replacing all the schools), and one who is unhappy her son-in-law was demoted.
Be careful what you wish for. I say get rid of Fredericksen and Moses and that would be a HUGE start!
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