Be Informed: Districtwide Elected School Board Chair

There is an issue that is of utmost importance to the future of Orange County. It is the question of whether or not our public schools would benefit from a districtwide elected school board chair. (See my June 1, 2008 blog post.)

Voters need to be fully informed before going to the polls in November. A special referendum to decide this issue will appear on the November ballot.

This politician would have two votes in a tie, a violation of the democratic principle of one person, one vote, dilute the voices of single member districts, and potentially weaken accountability and transparency by blurring the lines of authority between the elected chair and our appointed superintendent.

Three studies have been done on this untested idea. None support it.

Learn the facts: Go to the links at top right of this blog-

"Elected School Board Chair Facts" and "Just Vote No."

Amendments 5, 7 and 9

This week, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously decided to remove Amendments 5, 7 and 9 from the November 2008 ballot.  They believed that all were confusing and misleading to Florida's voters. The public education community was relieved because Amendments 7 and 9 would have opened the door to vouchers and diversion of public dollars to private and religious organizations and schools. Likewise, they were relieved that Amendment 5 will not appear because it could have dramatically destabilized state funding for public education. 

It is undeniable that tax reform is needed in Florida, but recent efforts have not been reform. Amendment 1, approved by voters last year, was more tax relief, with some consequences that may actually exacerbate current tax inequities. Amendment 5 was not tax reform either, but rather a tax swap.  But the drumbeat for tax reform has not gone away, nor has the desire for vouchers by some political leaders, religious leaders and private organizations.  Efforts towards these ends can be expected at next year's and subsequent legislative sessions.  Everyone who cares about stable and adequate funding for public education will have to remain vigilant as Tallahassee legislators gather, debate and craft public school and tax structure legislation. 

Florida has traditionally been a low-wage, low-tax and, some would say, low-service state. There is a lot of talk about diversifying and deepening our economy, and there are some bright spots aimed toward that goal.  However, to do that, our public education system must be first-rate, and not just in test scores, but in the level of rigor and the level of equitable access to that rigor. It also requires commitment to establish a strong framework for Pre-K-20 education, with the following foundations: equitable access, funding adequacy, legislative support, instructional articulation, institutional cooperation and collaboration, higher education capacity, and overall flexibility for education professionals to utilize well-conceived, well-researched best practices.  

It will be necessary to cut through the chatter, often emotional and contradictory, and remember that high-quality public education capable of preparing all students for our global economy requires policies and investments that truly benefit our children, not politicians or special interests that do not have our children's best interests at heart.   

These Political Times

Are we entering a new post-partisan time where elected officials work together for the greater good, take time to inform citizens about the complexities of policy-making, have a broad world view and seek our communities' better angels......... or................

Are we going to keep alive ideological divisions, perpetuate parochialism or short-term solutions, have a small world view and not effectively address persistent issues of poverty and inequity, particularly in urban America, where 60% of Americans live.

We are a dynamic and diverse country, changing at warp speed, as is our entire world. Serving this diversity and complexity is not easy. Leaders who listen only to some constituencies or serve some interests at the expense of others prevent our democracy from being completely fulfilled. And a narrow world view threatens our security and that of other democratic nations, and limits a thriving global economy.

We have a choice. We can seek the first or be satisfied with the latter. But to do the first requires courage and honesty in our leaders, high expectations, and a collaborative spirit that builds the kind of infrastructure, public and private, that maximize access to the education and opportunities needed to pursue the American Dream and maintain a healthy society.

I hope that everyone will seek the first, and not the latter. And I hope that everyone is discerning, thoughtful, open-minded and mature in their consideration of the choices for President, Vice President, and other national and local positions. It is important to read between the lines, get beyond the rhetoric, ask the hard questions, and expect solid answers. We are at a crossroads, a significant one. It is not melodramatic to say that our future hangs in the balance.