The Echo

Yep, Rodel's Melissa Hopkins takes aim at  school board members who are not seeking another term this election cycle - apparently 12 of 25 current board members are not seeking to return to their boards - myself included - and through Melissa's eyes that means that we are no longer invested in our districts and communities.

On Tuesday, there are a total of 25 races in the First State to fill these important jobs.  Of the 25 races occurring on May 14th, only 7 races are uncontested.   Multiple races have more than two candidates running for the seat.  This is a great show of engagement on our school boards.  School board members are not compensated for their service, and the work required during their tenure is plentiful.  The extensive number of filed candidates statewide proves that Delawareans are committed to providing a quality public education in our state and that they want to want to be engaged.

New candidates are interested in getting involved, but even more striking is the number of incumbents willing to return to school board service.   There is still work to be done, and it’s a show of commitment that 13 individuals are fighting to continue their work for their district and community.  

So, why do board members exit their boards?  In the last two years, NCCo has seen to board members exit boards early to pursue other political office.  That's admirable. But, why would a board member not run for another term?  Perhaps, it's the changing economy - one in which board members, depending on income, cannot continue to work for free and support their families needs.  Perhaps, some find the commitment overwhelming.  Or, perhaps, some believe that they can continue to advocate for their communities and school children in new capacities.  And, just perhaps, at least a handful are exhausted of fighting with a know-nothing state leader who has sold out traditional public education as a means giving himself the moniker Delaware's Education Governor.  Maybe it's all of these and more.

What strikes me about the undercurrent of Ms. Hopkins' blog post is that she doesn't believe that those exiting service have any fight left in them.  Is that by design?  Was the real purpose behind the Rodel-supported Voices for Delaware Education Voters, the SuperPAC that dumped thousands of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ into trying to unseat incumbents last election cycle?  Especially in the Christina School District? Maybe it didn't matter who really won, as long as the incumbents who were not favorable to Vision were executed?  Fortunately, Delawareans fought back - those who care specifically care about education - with their feet and put a CSD incumbent right back where she belonged - fighting for our children from the dais.

I hate to have to say it, but just b/c a board member leaves the board, doesn't mean any of them will let education deformers off the hook for their chameleon chaos and the havoc they have incurred in our schools.  Voters want reform?  Let's invest in real reform, not this fly-by-night bullshit that Rodel powered by the Governor has spewed into the education-sphere.

Here's an idea:  Why don't we invest in smaller class sizes?  Put 1 year of RTTT $ into engineering smaller classes in high needs schools and three things will happen:

1. Teachers - good teachers who are dedicated to the profession and not the paychecks or bonus - will voluntarily opt into teaching in high needs schools.
2. Discipline issues will be reduced.
3. Test scores will begin to move in target classes.

Of course, one year alone won't do it.  But, the Governor doesn't even want us to try - nor does Rodel or Vision or the Chamber or Leadership Delaware, or any ed-deform-centric agency.  They just want pad their wallets.  Kinda reminds of the News Journal Wilmington Trust story - hiding bad loans and all...