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DEL.ICIO.USIt’s Unanimous
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A response to yesterday’s post about Doc Neace’s firing raises the issue of school board votes, and how they tend to be unanimous in support of the superintendent or staff recommendation. (In Neace’s case, the board member representing Dacula voted against his firing.)
Why are so many board votes unanimous, especially when the elected board members represent a diverse constituency?
Board members often talk of the importance of presenting a “unified front.” They want to appear to be in full agreement on important issues. A divided board could give the impression of a chaotic or disorganized school system, one that is too involved with petty disagreements to work on the big picture. Also, school board members want to give the impression they support their superintendent. After all, hiring the superintendent is one of their primary responsibilities. Their other task is to set policies. Those policies are often recommended by the superintendent or his or her staff.
The problem with so many unanimous votes, often with little or no public discussion beforehand, is it’s hard to know where school board members really stand.
How do you want your elected school board representative to handle voting?
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Sanibelgrl
June 29, 2005 08:59 AM | Link to this
I want the board to do what is right for the students. All in all, the reason for a school is to educate the children. If the superintendent is not truly there for the children, but for the power and prestige of the job, then the board needs to make sure the superintendent does the job they were hired to do - EDUCATE. You are so right that most BOE members support the superintendent. It’s almost laughable as to why we vote them into office. Try calling one of your board members to see for help with a problem. You won’t get any.
By Ron
June 29, 2005 10:04 AM | Link to this
Sanibelgrl- most superintendents are appointed by boards now, not elected. Which makes it even more likely that there will be unanimous votes. We used to elect supers, but the state felt that this created too much controversy so boards now appoint supers. Unless constituents call on board members for accountability, they can vote how they feel. Once again, we see the effects of allowing elected officials to act without our input.
By lynn
June 29, 2005 10:17 AM | Link to this
Local board votes are often unanimous because of a “you scratch my back, I will scratch yours” attitude. Unless a board member feels really strongly about an issue they are unlikely to vote against it, if they will be in the minority.
Additionally, in the political realm, local school boards are often the least professional. Some of them seem more like kitchen coffee clubs than even semi-professional organizations.
On the state level, I find that votes are often not unanimous, although in this case it is the superintendent who is elected and the board members who are appointed.
By Amy
June 29, 2005 02:49 PM | Link to this
I want my board member to vote based on the facts presented and based on what is right. The school board’s job is to see that our kids get the best education possible. All of their votes should have that as the goal. The superintendent’s goal as an administrator, is to maintain his power and position. Educating the kids may be an indirect goal of his office but I do not believe it is the primary one.
While I’m sure his office has good recommendations at times, it seems highly unlikely that the superintendent’s recommendation is always correct.
Perhaps the problem is that the school board members are just too lazy to go to the trouble of informing themselves so that they can actually have their own opinions.
By Iteach
June 29, 2005 05:04 PM | Link to this
School Board represenatives should be there to do what they are elcected to do and represent their communities in regards to educational issues. However, in more than 30 years of working with school boards I do not often find that the case.
Most members of School Boards do not know what type of commitment is needed when they first run for office and are elected. Most memebers have other obligations that will also hinder their effectiveness. If the public actually saw the ammount of paperwork that flows across the desks of School Board members they would be shocked. While in Atlanta I worked with an watch dog committee of 16, dividing the paper work among us it took hours each day to read and comprehend. Even for the members that did not have an outside job it would have required more than 40 hours a week to just read.
The result of such a work load is that members either simply take the recommendation of the administrators or another member that has some insight. Often votes were made without a true knowledge of what was at hand. Often a vote I would ask a member about an issue and they simply did not know what the specifics were - but, it was too late to change their vote.
Another issue is when you have those who are not familar with education as board members. The corporate world does not operate the same as educational facilites, yet school boards must operate as corporate boards. Bottom line dollar figures do not equate to educational objectives.
In Mr. Neace’s case there were many issues that should have been addressed individually. First there was sleeping in class during a lab, then there was copying another’s work, then there is the issue of changing grades due to none academic factors. I teach Physics and Physical Science, both require labs. I will not accept a lab report if you did not do the lab. Sleeping during a lab is a “NP” which is a zero for non-participation. You cannot report on a lab that you did not perform. When the issue has come up I only give one alternative - do the lab in my room on their time (after school) and then submit a report. Part of a lab is procedural and if that is incorrect their outcomes will be incorrect. I do read all work and when I see incorrect procedures and calculations I take that in consideration.
If you want me to teach science - let me teach it and grade it. If you want to control the grade then you better be in my classroom and control the class as well.
By Daniel
June 30, 2005 09:39 AM | Link to this
Unanimous board votes come from potted plants?
Like directors throughout Corporate America, school board fiduciaries must now decide whether their job is to work for owners or for managers.
The latest education results show failure: 58% graduation rates, higher taxes.
On the other hand, managers enjoy
bloated salaries while failing owners, i.e. Gwinnett’s CEO draws $285,000./yr,
Does a big salary make one smart? You decide Gwinnett CEO’s business savvy and character. Dr. Wilbanks approved a $1.7 million dollar “deal” based on a Request For Proposals (RFP) posted on December 18, 2002 and closed on January 8, 2003 (21 days during Christmas/New Years). $1,400,000+ paid in the first year and no taxes paid by the Virginia company.
And now brace yourself. The outcome, of course, is that Gwinnett taxpayers are paying more than $1,250,000 in fees too much.
When administrators are handling their own money, of course, they will look to alternative advisors – but it never enters their minds to do so when they are acting as fiduciaries for others.
True independence – meaning the willingness to challenge a forceful CEO when something is wrong or foolish – is an enormously valuable trait in a board member. It is also rare. The place to look for it is among high-grade people whose interests are in line with those of rank-and-file stakeholders – and are inline in a very big way.
Americans’ love such honest-to-God ownership. After all, who ever washes a rental car?
Board members should not remain silent as questionable proposals are rubber-stamped.
In addition to being independent, directors should have business savvy, a stakeholder orientation and a genuine interest in education. The rarest of these qualities is business savvy – and if it is lacking, the other two are of little help. Many people who are smart, articulate and admired have no real understanding of business or education. That’s no sin; they may shine elsewhere. But they don’t belong on school boards. Similarly, they would be useless on a medical or scientific board (though they would likely be welcomed by an administrator who wanted to run things his way). Many names dress up the list of school board members, but they don’t know enough to critically evaluate proposals. Moreover, to cloak their ignorance, they keep their mouth shut (if you can imagine that). In effect, they could be replaced, without loss, by a potted plant.
I think we need a couple of big public hangings.
By Ernest
June 30, 2005 09:53 AM | Link to this
Most members of School Boards do not know what type of commitment is needed when they first run for office and are elected<<
Iteach hit it on the head with this statement! For a position that is ‘part time’ and factoring the many regulations in educating children these days, I find it amazing that some want to do this. Let’s be honest, it is impossible for any one person to have a handle on every issue that comes across their desk. There is a LOT of professional courtesies extended when we see the unanimous votes, as many times board members are relying on others to help with understanding the issues.
Interestingly, in DeKalb there were ‘comments’ regarding members seeking a raise. Though we can disagree regarding the percent increase, I had no problem in giving them a raise, especially as I became more aware of what is involved to effectively perform their job. Some would argue the duty to community service is more important than the compensation. While board members shouldn’t expect to live on this salary, keeping it ‘low’ could reduce the pool of potential qualified candidates.
By PD
June 30, 2005 10:19 AM | Link to this
Having taught in Clayton County during the craziness brought on by the board of education members, I can say with some certainty that all too often a board position is about public appearance and power for people who are selfish, narcissistic, and totally disconnected from the reality of running a school system. Either boards want the super to be a puppet, or they appoint a super who dominates them. Yes, it is asking a great deal of sacrifice to work on a board for little pay and lots of time. But I knew board members who had done it for years simply to make sure the school system did the job of teaching kids to the best of its ability. When it became about personal and political gain, the entire school system suffered and good, experienced teachers left in droves. Now Clayton is struggling to rebuild scores and restore a lost image, and all because board members lost focus. Now I see vestiges of that same kind of attitude in Gwinnett. Likely it will only get worse unless the voters get out and demand better!