Motion to End School Board Elections
by Robert Russo
The Times-Dispatch reports yesterday and today that in response to the Richmond school board's frivolous lawsuit against Mayor Wilder earlier this year and the tax money it wasted, some 26 "business and academic leaders" politically allied to the mayor have signed a petition to abolish the electoral process within the school system. The motives behind this retribution are revealed in the statement "The School Board proposes a budget, yet has no control over raising revenues and, as we have learned recently, has no control over when they will receive their operating funds during the course of the fiscal year."*
As is always the case, the last vestige of democracy in an institution is objected to because elections just don't appoint enough like-minded leaders. "We believe a fundamental flaw exists in the governance structure..." the letter puts it.* Instead of using the democratic process to break up a corrupt and self-serving club (i.e. by backing candidates like Keith West who opposed the suit), the city of Richmond wants to make it part of their own bigger club. If the issue is money, at least change the policy before expelling democracy.
This change would require amending the city's charter at next year's general assembly. If successful the new board will be appointed by the City Council after a review of each candidate by a nominating committee. All such proposals are made under the illusion that this will erase political motives in the name of productivity, when in reality all nominees will be chosen based on their affinity to one political bent, that of the winning side. This is the same tune that monopolized the school board in the first place, "I'm in the majority, you're in the majority, all God's chillins are in the majority".
No fresh, alternative candidate with the public on his side would ever hold a seat again (or anyone who doesn't bend over for these appointers). Like the brainwashed student who grows to become the disciplinarian adult, the victims of this backward institution have become the victimizers. The school board's ambitiions have been turned back upon them (not that they don't deserve it, but please leave the public out of it). Only through elections is there hope of finally curing the system, and make our leaders sing the cooperative tune they're supposed to, "There ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy, there's only you and me and we just disagree.".**
If a feud between two branches of local government not content with the powers the city charter allows them results in the law being changed to erase one of those branches, how soon will this occur at the national level when the President or congress is no longer satisfied with the constitution? Please appeal to Mayor Wilder to resist this gilded temptation by his constituents, and not let a political vendetta erase any chance of curing the school system. This issue can be read at http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-08-06-0207.html and http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-08-07-0129.html.
*http://www.timesdispatch.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2007-08-06-0207.html
**http://www.rhapsody.com/davemason/thebestofdavemasonlonglostfriend/wejustdisagree/lyrics.html