Wicomico Council Hears Input on Elected Board of Education

For two years citizens have come before the Wicomico County Council and asked for an elected school board. Last February the council responded by requesting the county’s legislative delegation to introduce a bill to give citizens a vote on the matter.

On September 6th the council again passed a resolution asking the Maryland General Assembly to place a straw vote on the 2012 ballot. Delegate Rudy Cane asked that the council hold more public input sessions.

After a shorter than usual agenda last night citizens were again given time to specifically comment on this measure. To date, citizen input has been overwhelmingly in favor of a straight up or down vote on an elected school board.

At the request of several in attendance at last night’s meeting, here is a copy of my remarks before council:

Good Evening. My name is G. A. Harrison.

I appreciate the Council AGAIN taking public input on whether to seek an elected school board.

Time and again you have listened politely and attentively as I, and many others, have come before you and explained why we believe that we need to take this first step in giving the citizens of Wicomico County the same privilege that has been granted to almost every other county in this state, namely an elected Board of Education.

Is an elected school board a “silver bullet” which will fix the problems of our county’s educational system? Of course not. However, what it will provide is accountability for Board members. We currently have a system where an APPOINTED board kowtows to the wishes of an APPOINTED Superintendent and his bureaucracy and appears to worry more about the wishes of four unions (they call them “bargaining units”) than in what is truly best for the school children of Wicomico County.

Notice that I made no mention of the voters or taxpayers of Wicomico County. Why? The people who toil to pay for our public schools are given no consideration; nor is any consideration given as to whether our tax dollars are spent wisely and in a way that provides the best education for our children within the constraints of a limited pool of funds. Under our current structure, the board views the taxpayers of Wicomico County as little more than a slot machine or a sponge to be squeezed.

An elected board can HELP to address this. Many of us have advocated for a non-partisan board, with one member elected from each of the five council districts and two members elected at-large. Personally, I would also argue for staggered terms so that four seats are elected at the gubernatorial election and three seats are chosen at the presidential election. This would prevent the possibility of an entire school board being unseated at one time. However, before such discussions are germane we need to pass through several other gates.

You have taken us through the first gate, by asking the state legislature to put a measure on the ballot. If, unlike last session, our legislators vote to allow an up or down vote on an elected school board, the voters will have to approve in 2012 before we can come back to you and ask your support for a specific board election structure.

Before I close, I would like to address some of the arguments put forward against a straight up or down vote.

Several folks, such as County Executive Rick Pollit, Ms. Sample-Hughes and Ms. Ashanti have argued for a three-way ballot question that includes the so-called “hybrid” board. We should all note that they have also stated that they want to keep a fully appointed board. It is obvious that this is nothing more than a red herring to slow down the process and a blatant political ploy in the hopes that such a measure would confuse the electorate and deny a majority to a proposal for a fully elected board.

Some have argued that an elected school board would increase the cost of our elections. The method which many of us have called for would cost nothing additional other than the time it takes someone at the board of elections to add lines to the ballot.

Many opponents of an elected board have argued that an elected board would not be “DIVERSE”. Unless we are speaking solely of RACIAL diversity, we don’t have a diverse board now. Where are the members who place the education of our children above the wants, wishes, and whims of the Superintendent, his bureaucracy, and the leadership of the four “bargaining units”? Where are the members who advocate for a strong, basic education focused around the three R’s? Where are the members who advocate for traditional values?

As for racial diversity, there is no reason to believe that an African-American, Latino, or Asian candidate would not be elected at-large or in a non-minority district provided they advocated for the same policies and values held dear by a majority of voters. This has certainly worked in other counties in school board elections. One need only travel as far north as Talbot County to witness an African-American being elected to the county council in a NON-MINORITY DISTRICT.

Opponents of a fully elected board also try to claim that an elected board would inject “politics” into the equation. This is farcical. Politics is already part of the mix. Partisan central committees submit candidates. A partisan governor appoints. As Mr. Strasburg pointed out at your last meeting, the current system all but precludes independent voters from being able to serve. What I, and many others have asked for is a NON-PARTISAN election. Yes, there is an election – but the partisanship is removed. Yes, there would be politics. However, the members would be accountable to the voters rather than the special-interest groups which currently have a disproportionate say in who is appointed.

In closing, I want to thank you again for listening to us. I want to thank you again for sending a request for an up-or-down vote to the General Assembly. I also want to thank you again for your service to Wicomico County and its citizens.