School board has a leadership deficit
Some elected bodies act resolutely. They weigh facts and quickly make a decision. Afterward, they stick to it. Other public bodies are more amenable to change. They consider their options and cast their votes. As circumstances warrant, they sometimes reconsider.
And then there are bodies like the Montgomery County School Board, which is downright squishy. When it does reach a conclusion after interminable delay, the odds are good it will back off at the first grumblings from parochial interests.
Continue reading this editorial.
2 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post.
As a Christiansburg town resident and parent of a Montgomery County Public School student, I must disagree with the Editorial “School Board has a Leadership Deficit”. This school board has done a very admirable job of balancing the needs of the Blacksburg community (new Blacksburg High School construction and temporary re-location of the Blacksburg Middle School to Christiansburg) as well as the Riner community (construction and renovation of the Auburn High and Middle Schools). Undertaking all of these projects simultaneously (especially in the face of reduced state and federal funding) was a challenge that did necesitate increased taxes in Montgomery County. Reversing the Pay-to-Play plan was a controversial issue that seemed to divide parents in the county. Some saw it as placing athletics above academics, others saw it as an attempt to keep otherwise at-risk kids in school. Pesonally, I supported the plan even though it would have cost my family the maximum $300 per year; but the majority has spoken, and revenue will have to be generated elsewhere (or costs reduced). This board has worked very hard over the years, and has had to make tough decisions to placate the varying demographics of this county. Anybody who thinks that Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Auburn and East Mont share the same vision have never been to a Board of Supervisors or School Board meeting!
Thanks to the Montgomery County School Board for providing our students with some of the finest educators and educational facilities in the region. Because without their guidance, our kids would probably be facing the same drug, race and crime issues that plague our neighbors to the north.
Comment by Stephen Scott — July 1, 2012 @ 9:38 am
As a Christiansburg resident, I regrettably have to agree with the editorial board of the Roanoke Times (I generally do not on most issues) when it comes to the current Montgomery County School Board.
There is a clear vacuum of leadership which has lead to confusing flip-flops and cow-towing to the loudest voice in the room.
While I agree with some of the Board’s recent decisions and do not agree with many others, the real issue in terms of this editorial is not so much the decisions that were made, but the process of coming to those decisions.
Fiscal responsibility certainly could have been better considered when voting yes on all the building projects in an uncertain economy, but given that those projects were green-lighted, the Board was put in a tough spot this budget year and was required to make some difficult decisions that no matter what would have some community members upset.
However, the leadership and conviction of the Board has to be called into question based on many recent actions.
For example, no matter how you view the issue of pay-for-play, the Board, supposedly in its wisdom and with great thought, consideration, and appreciation of all the facts and all points of view – voted that pay-for-play was the least objectionable option to raise needed money based on the needs of the entire County.
One may have agreed or disagreed with that vote, but the Board are elected officials that are entrusted to do the necessary due diligence and consideration to come up with what they feel is the best decision. In this case, they obviously felt pay-for-play was the best available option (even if not ideal).
Then, after receiving some community push back (both via email and in-person), they decided to reverse course and cave in to the relatively few (but also relatively loud) voices that were now in their ears.
I don’t see how anyone can defend the Board with the process of this decision.
Either they were incompetent and did not do their jobs appropriately when they originally voted affirmative – or they made the right decision and eventually reversed it due to caving into some community push back.
Our local political representatives (at all levels) need to remember the function of leaders in government. Elected officials have been duly elected by the community and entrusted to make the decisions that they feel are the best and most prudent. Ultimately, those decisions may upset a segment of the community they represent. In some cases, even a majority of that community. Still, elected officials need to vote (and stick with their decision) with no bias toward the number of people that agree or disagree with them or the side of the issue that happens to be the most vocal.
If we are going to be making important decisions in the community based on a popularity contest, what is the point of even electing a Board. We can just put each Town or County issue up to referendum, and whatever side gets the most votes wins.
Anyone who understands politics realizes that such an approach would inevitably lead to poor decisions and fiscal chaos.
Therefore, this Board, and any elected Board, needs to step up and show leadership when making the tough, but necessary, decisions that need to be made to protect their constituents from their own biases and lack of necessary experience when it comes to running and fiscally managing a governmental budget.
Boards like this one are necessary to protect citizens from themselves when it comes to the tough decisions that must sometimes be made to balance budgets and prioritize resources. This Board has recently shown little ability to do that, and this ultimately negatively impacts the entire community they represent.
Comment by H. Simpson — July 5, 2012 @ 1:09 am