As of Feb. 3, and while we are approaching the filing deadline of March 6, there were no contested seats for any school boards in Delaware. With the academic performance of Delaware’s public school students in the bottom tier nationally, why don’t more people want to fix these problems? The truth is that school boards tackle many vital issues plaguing schools. They can and should do more to improve academic outcomes and create safer schools in our local communities.
School boards have a vital oversight role that includes setting education policies, approving multimillion-dollar budgets and, above all, holding superintendents accountable for delivering improved academic outcomes. Board members are liaisons between the education system and the people who are its customers.
I’m not going to kid you — it requires effort to get up to speed and know how to work effectively with other members who may have different views. The good news is that Citizens for Delaware Schools is creating a network of useful resources and training to ease candidates into their roles.
Thirty-four seats statewide are up for election May 13. We need more motivated people to run, so voters have choices. Our republic depends on this kind of local civic involvement from citizens. If this role is not for you, print out the recruitment flyer from citizens4delawareschools.org and hand it to friends, family or associates, saying, “I think you’d be good at this.”
This fight is not about placing blame or impersonal numbers. It’s about saving lives. Remember the names of the kids getting lost in a system that is broken. Henry, Charlotte and the children you know are the ones who matter. Let’s stand up for them, while there’s still time for them to find their way to the American dream.
Nancy Mercante
Founder and president, Citizens for Delaware Schools
Wilmington
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
