Information previously published in The Spotlight makes it clear that there is a critical defect in the communication between the current majority on the Perry Township School Board and the public which has the responsibility for electing candidates.
It was noted last week that Perry School Board candidates garnered an average of 3935 votes, with no one receiving more than 4803. These figures should be compared with 67,092, the official number of registered voters in Perry Township in May, 2006. Doing the math makes us aware that only 7.16 percent of Perry Township’s registered voters bothered to vote for any school board candidate last May. Hopefully, Spotlight readers are not among the other 92 percent.
It is my contention that the election process should treat the school board election with the respect it deserves by moving it to the general election in November.
Many voters are still confused by the fact that the final election for school board is during the “primary,” which is only a nominating election for partisan candidates.
Because of this, many voters do not even bother to vote in the primary, waiting for the partisan ballot to appear in the fall. Others who do vote in the primary either omit school board voting, or vote on very sparse information because they have not given the school board candidates enough attention.
Surely the number of votes cast for school board would be multiplied by 2, 3, or 4 in a fall election. Isn’t having the highest possible percentage of voters turn out to vote one of the goals of our representative republic? Voters could then include school board candidates in the study of choices they are making in November.
There are further reasons for moving the election to November. Some say that new school board members should take office just before the beginning of a new school year. However, all decisions relating to the beginning of a new school year have been made long before July 1, by experienced board members.
Taking office on January 1, rather than July 1, would give neophyte members the opportunity to get acclimated to new responsibilities during the second semester, while also giving them a voice in many decisions affecting the coming summer and fall programs.
By law, the total budget for the next calendar year must be advertised in mid-August. Is it really fair to expect new board members to know enough about the complicated aspects of school finance to make sound decisions within four weeks of taking office? Wouldn’t it be better to give new members six months in office before expecting them to be an effective participant in this substantial responsibility for representing all other citizens?
Incidentally, these views have no relationship to the current board members or their priorities, except to note that school board members are always elected by such a small minority of voters. Our interest should be in acquiring a more representative system of selecting the policy makers for the education of 14,000 students.
The figures indicate that the majority of registered voters are not represented in the process at all. We should provide more motivation for them to vote. Voting in November is one major step.
Now, how could this be done? Surprisingly, there are two basic ways, neither of which is unreasonably complicated.
One, a resolution for such a change could be adopted by the school board and submitted to state agencies for approval. This is by far the least demanding method, and it still would provide opportunity for public input.
Two, a petition for such a change, signed by at least 20 percent of the registered voters, could be filed. This method would then require that the school board take action on the requested change.
Either way would require legal counsel, which should not pose a problem since the school board now has two different attorneys under contract.
Either way would also require a significant period of time because each process provides opportunity for public input and agency revision at various steps.
In any event, such a change could not be put into effect until 2008 at the earliest, since no elected official could have an elected term shortened by the action. But, it should be done.
Published with permission from Keith Brown
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