by Louise Evans
When the Commonwealth of Virginia gives the right and the power to the electorate over the power of just one voter in the district to decide who is to represent them on the school board, why would you want to cede that power to just one individual voter? Why would you not want to take advantage of the opportunity to choose who represents you? This is the home of Patrick Henry, known as a fiery orator promoting the fight for independence and freedom from tyranny.
When a school board member is appointed, they are more obligated to vote the way their appointed official wants them to, even when it may not be in the best interest of the school system. By being elected by the voters, the school board representative is accountable to the voters and not to just one voter in the district.
Elected school boards have more autonomy to work with the parents in the school system, as they are more accountable to the parents. They do not have to fear not being reappointed if they make one vote contrary to one person in the district. If the voters in the district do not think they are doing a good job, they can be voted out. Under the appointed system, the voters have little say in who represents them
The current Republican governor was elected on parental choice in schools. What more evidence is there in parental choice than to elect the school board member who represents you?
Local voters elect the Sheriff, the Treasurer, the Commissioner of Revenue, the Commonwealth Attorney, and Soil and Water Conservation District representatives. None of these have taxing authority. Likewise, an elected school board will have no taxing authority. There is no push to make these elected positions rather than political appointees because when they are accountable to the voters and not the Board of Supervisors. All elected officials must work together for the greater good of the community and the taxpayers.
In 1992, the General Assembly gave the authority for the voters to decide how they want to be represented, by the Board of Supervisors appointing a school board member or by the voters casting a ballot for who will represent them. Only 11 of 133 localities in Virginia still do not elect their school board. In November, all local public office positions are on the ballot. The referendum questioning whether Hanover County should join the vast majority of the localities in the Commonwealth and change from an appointed to an elected school board is on the ballot. This allows Hanover County voters to vote on how they want the school board to be formed. The change is fundamentally who the school board is ultimately accountable to, one Board member or the voters in their district
1992, 31 years, Virginia has been able to have elected school boards for 31 years! And there has been no attempt to allow school boards taxing authority. Why? Because taxing authority in Virginia is at the local Board of Supervisors level. Allowing the voters to elect the school board in Hanover County is not going to change that.
This referendum is nonpartisan. All voters want to choose how our government works. We expect our government to work for us. A Yes vote on the referendum gives the voters the power to directly choose their school board representative.
