Yes, school board elections are that important.
Throughout North Carolina, every local school board is wrestling with problems fueled by partisan-fueled emotions. Many of those problems are being stoked in Raleigh which is forcing more and more school boards to be aligned with national narratives and by making more local offices defined by political parties.
They are even having to consider this whole “CRT” discussion and the banning of books.
I do not envy anyone having to fulfill the role of the local school board official. But I am again assured that one of the most important offices for which anyone can place a vote is for the local school board, and 2024 is another big year for many local school board elections.
Communities are learning in a rather serious manner that each election for each seat on each local school board is of vital importance.
New Hanover County on the coast of NC is teaching us that right now. Partisan politics has turned the school board into the biggest obstacle in serving the public school students.
WECT’s report is worth the watch just to listen to the BOE members comment.
So, what does the BOE do as its first response?
At the heart of a school board’s responsibilities are supporting a selected superintendent, guiding the creation of policies and curriculum, making sure there are adequate facilities, and seeing that budgetary needs are met.
Remember that a local superintendent is hired by the school board and reports directly to the school board. While the survey in New Hanover County is a reflection of the superintendent, it is more of a reflection of the school board as they are the people ultimately responsible for the performance of a local school system – in this case on the the state’s biggest.
In a state that keeps taking money away from the public school system to give more funding to private school vouchers and an NC General Assembly always wanting to “reform,” the fight to have the proper facilities, resources, and budgetary supports is even more difficult. And the greatest resource a school system can have are its educators.
According to the survey, less than 10% of educators in New Hanover agree that the BOE is “in touch with the realities and challenges that teachers and pubic schools face.”
That’s a damning statistic. In my 25+ years in public education and years of advocacy, I have never seen a survey of this kind show such a lack of faith in the school board.
Being on the school board means that you claim to have an understanding what students, teachers, and support staff need. That means having an understanding how schools operate and how they are affected by mandates and laws that come from Raleigh and how Raleigh’s actions affect state services. And when policies that are handed down from the state that may not treat the local system favorably, then the school board must confront those in Raleigh and help fight for what is best for the local students and their educators.
All of that brings to light what might be one of the most important jobs that a school board must undertake: it must be willing to challenge the state in an explicit and overt manner on matters that directly affect their local schools.
Yes, school board elections are that important.
caffeinated rage 