Why do they do it?

Almost every board of education in Pennsylvania is made up of nine members who, if elected, serve four-year terms for no compensation and, potentially, endless second-guessing from unhappy residents and taxpayers.

Why?

For many of these public-minded individuals, it is a desire to give something back; I like the term “paying one’s community rent.”

But not every board-seeker is motivated by this high ideal of altruism. There are some who run primarily on a single issue platform. If they become board members, they tend to create discord.

There are others who fight their colleagues on virtually every issue. I remember years ago when I was Pocono Bureau Chief for The Express (now The Express-Times) of Easton, I covered the Pleasant Valley School Board meetings, which turned into monthly circuses. “This is better than staying home and watching TV,” one giddy Kresgeville resident once told me.

Board member Nettie Romascavage, a longtime private citizen gadfly who challenged board members for several years from the audience, ran and was elected. She voted “no” on just about every question put to the board. She even cast negative votes on the minutes and paying the monthly bills. Little wonder then that she was branded with the nickname “No-No Nettie.”

After all of the business on the agenda had been completed, board members were allowed to make their own reports. It was during this time that Romascavage would bring up scores of real or imagined issues and hurl accusations and insults at her colleagues and the administration. On more than one occasion, one or more members of the board walked out while she was still talking.

It is not unusual for one or two school board members to question the “we’ve always done it that way” mentality that afflicts some boards whose members have served for many years. This is a good thing if done with good intent and respect. There are no term limits for board members. In some districts, even getting nine people interested in sitting on a board is becoming more difficult, because fewer are willing to take the abuse that sometimes goes with the job.

What makes a good school board member? I asked a number of superintendents and area board members this question, and here are some of the traits they pointed to: A member should be ethical in studying issues and decision-making, have vision, display an ability to be fair, be a good communicator and be dedicated to the primary reason he or she is serving on the board — the welfare of the students and giving residents the most bang for their education buck. It’s no secret that school real estate taxes, which in many districts seem to go up annually, breed angry resentment, much of it aimed at board members and school administrators.

Membership on a school board is challenging with long hours and tough decisions. Many of these decisions will not be popular. We saw this recently in the Lehighton Area School District, where a battle royal erupted between two camps — one favoring construction of a new elementary school, the other adamantly opposed.

One Lehighton board member who is getting extensive attention is David F. Bradley Sr., who raises many questions at board meetings and in some cases tries to undo some decisions.

Such was the case in June when he introduced a motion to get rid of the board’s longtime law firm (solicitor). Bradley has filed a number of right-to-know requests to get information about the district and board. Some other board members have questioned Bradley’s motives and are concerned that his frequent requests and demands of the board’s legal counsel are running up bills and taking time away from other, more important issues.

Bradley’s motion failed 6-3, but this testy exchange between him and recently appointed board member Rita Spinelli before the vote and memorialized in the board’s minutes is an example of the tensions that hang over some meetings:

Spinelli: “Why appoint a temporary attorney when we just approved one for a year? Last meeting we selected Mr. (William) Schwab for one year, and I’m not changing my mind based on your hearsay, and just to let you know, Mr. Bradley accused the entire population of the Franklin Township meeting of being immoral, so don’t tell me that he doesn’t accuse the public wrongly.” (Note: After months of lengthy discussions, the board transferred four athletic fields to Franklin Township to be used by the township’s athletic association.)

Bradley: “… You don’t hire a solicitor for a year. He has the opportunity to work for a year, but if he doesn’t do the job, tomorrow you can get rid of him. He’s at will.”

Spinelli: “Absolutely. He does his job, so please call the question.”

On two occasions when there were board vacancies — in 2016 and earlier this year — the remaining eight members could not agree on replacements, deadlocking 4-4 on nominees, requiring Carbon County Court to make the picks from among numerous applicants.

It’s unusual for school board members to be immersed in partisan politics. In fact, in Pennsylvania, candidates can cross-file, meaning that their names can appear on both parties’ slate of candidates, regardless of whether they are Republican or Democrat.

It is more likely that tempers will run high as they have in Lehighton over such issues as building a new school or other hot-button issues that pit neighbor against neighbor.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com