OPINION: Time to Pass an Elected School Board Bill
Now that a new superintendent has been selected, there is no reason to delay approval of this important legislation.
Legislation is presently being considered by the Maryland General Assembly that would change the selection process for members of the Baltimore County Board of Education. Bills proposed by State Sen. Bobby Zirkin and members of the Baltimore County House Delegation would transform the governing body from a 12-member appointed board, including one student member, to a 10-member board consisting of nine nonpartisan elected board members and a student member. Thus, rather than school board members being selected by the governor of Maryland, the individual citizens of Baltimore County would be empowered to make these crucial choices.
At hearings on these two bills held during February of this year, it was suggested by some that now was not the time to consider such a change. They argued that, knowing the school system was in the middle of choosing its next superintendant, it was unwise to inject uncertainty regarding the future composition of the board into the minds of potential candidates. Concerns were also raised that the possible move to an elected board would deter quality candidates for this position from considering the job.
Many supporters of school board reform rejected this notion as simply another excuse for maintaining the status quo. In any event, after the announcement earlier this week of the selection of Dr. S. Dallas Dance to be the next superintendant of the Baltimore County Public Schools, these points became moot. On July 1, Dr. Dance, who presently serves as the chief of middle schools for the Houston Independent School District, will take the reins of leadership from outgoing Superintendant Joe Hairston.
When asked about Dr. Dance, Terry Grier, the current superintendent in Houston and Dance's supervisor, noted, "Dallas is wise and experienced way beyond his years. ... he is very, very talented." Thus, contrary to what some thought, it appears that the specter of a possible move to an elected school board did not hamper Baltimore County's ability to attract quality candidates. Indeed, Dr. Dance was also one of two finalists for the superintendant's job for Howard County Public Schools. Positively, he was very well received at a public hearing held in that county.
As it happened, both Baltimore and Howard counties had narrowed their superintendant selection processes down to the same two individuals: Dr. Dance and Dr. Renee Foose, deputy superietendant here in Baltimore County. For those of you who don't know, Howard County already has an elected school board. What is telling for me is that neither of these two candidates were scared away by the prospect of working for elected school boards.
Clearly, the arguments against moving to an elected school board that were raised at last month's hearings in Annapolis just don't hold water. Given that Dr. Dance is coming to us from a school system that has an elected school board, he is not likely to be bothered by having the same sort of governing body here in Baltimore County. Certainly, now is the time for change.
Paul Amirault
2:37 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Jeff, I could not disagree with you more. The hiring of a superintendent is a red herring and has absolutely nothing to do with an elected school board. Imagine some of the posters on the Patch getting elected to a school board because nobody knew who they really were! Some people would include me in that group!
The issue of an elected school board should be on its own merits. The only person that people will know less about than a school board candidate is one running for Democratic Central Committee or some similar position. What a way to run government! Simply an insane thought.
JDStuts
2:46 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Ugh. I can't wait to see Westboro Baptist Church run a candidate.
Jeffrey Smith
9:03 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
As the column clearly pointed out, opponents of reforming the manner in which our school board is selected were the ones who raised the "red herring" of the superintendant search as a reason not to act. I do not agree that consideration of moving to an elected school board would have any impact on that process, and indeed it appears we were able to attract competent candidates.
I respect the ability of voters in Baltimore County to make informed decisions about who can best serve them on our school board. The fate of the education of our young people is much too important to leave to others. I for one, as the father of a third grader, would like a say in who governs the school system. As for any elected office, candidates have a responsibility to present a case as to why they should be elected. Voters in turn have the duty to evaluate this information and make informed decisions. That is how our Founding Fathers expected our republic to work. The parents I know would be far more attuned to ascertaining the qualifications of school board candidates (by virtue of their concern for the fate of the education of their children) then perhaps any other public office they have the chance to vote for. I will continue to hold a positive view of the ability of voters to determine the fate of our system. I suppose we will have to respectfully disagree with each other on this issue, Paul.
Paul Amirault
6:24 am on Thursday, March 29, 2012
Jeff, I repectfully disagree. Some opponents of an elected Board made the red herring argument, it was an illogical argument at best, IMO.
The Founding Fathers had absolutely no vision as to what they wrought. Our system of electing public officials is a joke. Look at the Republican presidential primaries. The reason our system works is that after 4 years when we figure out we were snookered, we get the chance to vote the rascals out. The system generally does not select the best candidates. For the most part we are lucky it has turned out as well as it has.
Believing or expecting that any significant portion of the voting public (the 50% who bother to vote in general elections) would investigate, become informed, or anything else but look for D or R by the name of the candidate is naive. Friends frequently tell me they skip parts of the ballot because they don't know anything about a candidate down the ballot. Statistically it has been proven that the person listed first gets additional votes because of ballot placement.
Having a Board that answers to the community is very much different than having a vastly unqualified Board in a non-paid postion to ruin our children's education. Some of the creatures that will come out of the woodwork to run, and get elected, will make every election look like Halloween.
But Jeff, like you said, we agree to disagree on this issue, though we agree on many more things than we disagree about. Enough said.
Baltimore1979
9:35 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
This bill may not make it out of committee -- the EHEA committee chair Sen. Joan Carter Conway doesn't like it due to diversity issues. Check out Bryan Sears' article: http://towson.patch.com/blog_posts/school-board-bill-faces-death-in-committee
Jeffrey Smith
9:38 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Yes, I saw that piece. I have had conversations with a number of legislators who are going to really push hard for the bill to have a chance to be debated on the Senate floor. Hopefully, supporters of this concept will make their voices heard.
Bill Howard
12:34 am on Thursday, March 29, 2012
An elected school board or hybrid is a good thing. As a parent I get fed up with the "greater than thou" attitude of the schools and their friends at Greenwood. They do not see us an irritation rather than a constituency. I wanna be able to help vote them in and out.
John Dingedahl
10:55 am on Thursday, March 29, 2012
I have always been in favor of a hybrid school board. There is absolutely no transparency today. Just look at how the superintenant was chosen. All of sudden there was an article in the sunpapers that Balto. Cnty. has a new superintenant of the school system. No one outside of the existing board had any input in the selection process. The board has no accountability to anyone except to the one that appoints them This is so wrong.