When fellow citizens recommend eliminating your right to vote for local government positions, you should stop and think.
Americans should not give up their right to vote. And, substantively, the supporters of the ballot initiative completely misrepresent the role of the school board and the expertise needed to be effective. They see the school board only for the accounting and budgeting function while neglecting the primary purpose of the School Board; the education of our county’s students, their safety and well being, and preparing them for their lives as productive members of our community. Budgeting is in support of their primary role as educators.
Here’s the truth: The Northumberland Board of Supervisors and Northumberland County Public Schools elected School Board can do better. Both groups have fiscal responsibility for the county and school funding, neither did a good job living up to their responsibilities. The funds are all accounted for but it is undeniable that the current accounting practices are not acceptable. Needed reform is already underway, those responsible have already been removed and new leaders in place.
It is an inescapable fact that the Board of Supervisors did not provide oversight when the earliest signs of accounting problems presented themselves—as is their charge—they procrastinated until the situation deteriorated to an unacceptable level. Early intervention would have prevented this from happening.
Those who proposed the ballot question, to eliminate the elected school board, would have you believe this is the only solution. Yet neglect to define the criteria to be used for an appointed school board. The appointed board would, if adopted, be selected by the same Board of Supervisors who neglected to provide oversight for the past decade as this problem developed. What recourse will voters have if the Board of Supervisors fails in their role of appointing a competent School Board?
Two prominent and active-in-the-community-residents Amy Lamb and Jim Hendrickson pointed out to CBS19 News’ Nathaniel Cline that supporters of the ballot initiative are wrong. Amy notes that the idea that only financial experts are needed on the school board represents a fundamental lack of understanding of what the school board actually does. Jim says giving up the right to vote is un-American.
Read Cline’s story Northumberland County is considering an appointed school board. Could Virginia see more?