School board members: Why do they serve?
Consider this help wanted ad:
“School board member. Must have expertise in education, local taxes, hiring, management, collective bargaining, problem-solving, collaborative deliberations, school security, construction matters, bidding processes, awarding of contracts. Must have skills to bring various stakeholders of the district together for the betterment of students’ education. Must be willing to meet at least once a month in official session, sometimes more often, and be available for committee meetings, school programs and functions. Must be of good moral character and serve as good ambassador for the district in the community. Other duties required on an as-needed basis. Must have superior qualifications. Must be able to accept frequent criticism and expect little thanks. Compensation: none.”
To an unknowing casual observer, this might seem like a joke. You are asking a person to have these qualities and knowledge, and, in the process, take verbal abuse from a fickle public, yet there is no compensation attached to the job?
Correct.
Despite this, each district in our five-county area is able to field nine people who serve two- or four-year terms. In early December, school boards reorganize, just as they have done recently. New board members who won election in November are seated while defeated or retiring board members say their farewells. Some long-serving members will get a plaque or some other expression of a district’s gratitude.
There are thousands of public officials in Pennsylvania, and the vast majority are faithful to their sworn duties.
What motivates a person to run for office, especially when the salary is low (or nonexistent as in the case of school boards), compared to the hours required on the job and the growing abuse officials take from disgruntled constituents and gadflies?
The two main reasons I have gotten from board members are: to help their community and to advocate for causes in which they believe passionately.
Of course, what is never said publicly is that there are some candidates who are motivated by a single issue. The Jim Thorpe board is seeing new faces — candidates who were unhappy with the lack of transparency on the use of a district-issued credit card which led to the resignation of the district’s business manager.
It’s even been known that a few candidates run to settle old scores with current board members. Some board members take on the role of public crusader and pit themselves against the rest of the board and the administration. Lehighton’s David F. Bradley Sr. comes to mind.
On occasion, some districts go begging for candidates. That was not the case during November’s general election. Just about every district in the Times News area had more candidates than available seats. In Tamaqua, there were 10 candidates for five seats, and in Lehighton, write-in candidates joined six ballot candidates for five seats.
Most board members agree that serving in this capacity is at once challenging and exciting. Regardless of all of the noise, some of it political in what is supposed to be a nonpartisan position, a board member’s ultimate goal should be to improve the quality of the school district and the students’ education.
In talking to about a dozen board members for this column, just about all of them said that an effective board member must be a good communicator and, above all, a good listener.
Board members need to walk a challenging tightrope among competing interests and be able to assess the correct course of action after quality fact-finding and deliberation.
Additionally, they said that a board member needs a thick skin and must understand that in some regards he or she is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even a trip to the supermarket does not provide immunity from a spirited conversation with a district resident over concern about high real estate taxes.
The late former Panther Valley School Board member R. “Mickey” Angst, one of the best-known local pot-stirrers, once told me, “Going against the grain while sitting on a school board is not for sissies.”
He should know. The rest of the board even barred him from joining them in executive sessions because he was not shy about releasing confidential information he thought the public needed to know.
By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com
Comments
The local has slowly been pushed aside by the distant ones. As for S.B. members?
Curious to hear from them. I see them as the ones who thumb up spending tax dollars.
Pretty easy job, as the "administration recommends" it.
Be honest, what is the connection between directors? What do more than half seem to have in common? But first, the skills needed to serve.
Yes, almost every homemaker has all the traits you listed above. Plus, they have to live within their budget. Geez man, any moral person could oversee and verify honest, transparent professionals.
The outliers, like me, stand for a government of, by and for the people. Lawful transparency for government matters and the need to protect the students and save the community strikes fear in many directors that possess the most common director trait. Anyone that attends a board meeting can smell the fear of transparency. Any person of average intelligence, like myself, that speaks with common sense scares the bejesus out of those that carry the common trait I found.
So let's see, Bruce. How did you miss the most common trait of a person that runs for the prized position of school director? The director is provided with the government authority to take and dispense public funds in the tens of millions each and every year. Hmm, what do they have in common?
Drum roll please.
The most common trait for volunteer director is they, or a family member/very close friend, happen to be a current or exstaff member of a district.(Directors just can't be staff of their own district)
And there, the moral question is needed to be asked?
Who do they serve?
Do they serve the students and their Oath of office? Do they act with fidelity?
Go ahead, check the last ten years at Lehighton. One by one, test the familial and exstaff connections.
2017/18 Directors at Lehighton:
Andrew Yenser, Larry Stern, Wayne Wentz, Steve Holland, Rita Spinelli, Bradley, Beers, Beltz and Maholick. Then go back a few Board Presidents.
Larry Stern, David Krause, Gloria Bowman, Hal Resh, Rocky Arner. Wait, what, nearly 100% of the presidents meet the familial litmus test?
All of this is perfectly legal.
And, no one is saying they cast votes on matters involving their relatives or friends. This is all coincidental traits of directors elected to be a school director. And, how the campaigns are funded. All this is purely coincidental as it is the electorate that elect directors. It is just as likely that a dedicated individual, a family member, sees an opportunity to help the community and therefore decided to run. Just ask them, I am sure they'll tell you the truth, Bruce.
Like sheep, the silenced stakeholders can be led to the financial slaughter by board members that abdicate their lawful authority to the very administration they were elected to oversee. Check the Auditor generals reports across the state..
Transparency, Bruce, try transparency.
As for figures. Look at the past three years revenue and expenses at Lehighton and ask yourself these questions.
What moral public official would vote to spend millions more than the district takes in? What moral public official would vote to raise taxes when the district had a surplus in the fund? And what moral public official would vote to block lawful transparency?
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.
Transparency? I seem to recall something about RTK requests up there. Hmmm?
And again how can you say you dont get the information when it would seem at every meeting you plenty of papers and information to pass around
David please stop the over dramatics
Stop with passive aggressive bull crap
But I'm still looking for your solution still waiting for the paperwork you said you showed the public
This community is seeking a public servant, not a leader or authoritarian entity. This director is to be held accountable by the people they serve by their Oath of Office to act with fidelity. Lawfully required to seek our public input and report to the us at a public meeting monthly, but not less than two months. Collect and maintain and publish six years of our public financial records if asked by any of us citizens of the USA. Responsible to oversee the public hiring of all our public employees and transparently contract with professional administrators to oversee these professional educators providing the lawfully mandated education. Creating and reviewing our local policy in cooperation with a community. Creating and reviewing our agreed budget upon public budget created in complete transparent cooperation with our community. Creating a financially sustainable community that provides at a minimum the mandated education, and at a maximum, theose benefits which we as a community will approve. The director will select a time for the community to review the curriculum to be approved in cooperation with the community. Any moral individual willing to be our public servant can apply, the community will provide training. Your public service will be requested for only one term.
Blind-trusting rubber-stampers need not apply, for the abdication of legal authority to the very people your are being elected to oversee would be immoral.
Compensation: Self respect.
By making a moral decision in the best interest of the stakeholders after the data is published and actively reviewed by the community, a sense of pride in community service will fill your heart. Fear not, any mistakes made while in office will be identified by any community member, reviewed by all community members, and corrective action will be decided at the next meeting. Since you are a public servant, your willingness to just collect and publish pertinent information for our review is all that is required of you.The need to be open to idea you are just the elected arm of a community that collects and disburses our public funds under our policy will relinquish you of the fear to serve your one term. Leadership skills are not required, nor any required experience. Requirements are 18 years or older and a resident. Your willingness to be a public servant, and not a leader or authoritarian will keep the community students protected and the district sustainable.
You see Bruce, the PA School Code expects the director to accept the moral support of a community and take direction the community as a public servant, not a leader. Of, by and for, Bruce. Please print a correction.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.
You tried to make a group of only your people to go over the financials
Isnt that exactly what you say they do and you have a problem with
Come on david you can do better
I agree.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.
Am I not a citizen of lehighton school district
I am asking you a board member for the information that you say you have
Now are you going to be transparent or hide some more
Since our immoral government blocks us from proper detailed information, our data is from the documents the district published to the public and the state.
These documents show the immorality of the district and their failure to protect the students and save the community.
Are you a Nesquehoning citizen? A Reach Committee member? Answering these questions would help us identity just how much fake news we will have to refute with facts and data.
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.
I cannot make an informed decision with only half the information so I asked you so I can make informed decision
I am very confused though how the government blocks you from having this information if you're telling me you have this information
And I ask you again how do you plan on protecting the students and how do you plan on saving the community what is your plan do you plan on making cuts and if you do what cuts
How do you say you're not immoral when you try and sneak a motion through without telling everybody and all the citizens the truth about which insurance company you wanted. It through
Sincerely a concerned citizen
Hey, look I didn't get the last word in, they did. See, I don't always get the last word. Aw shoot. D'oh!!
Sincerely,
Citizen David F. Bradley Sr.