One of the things I thought public education was supposed to do-besides educate kids on readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmatic - was socialization.
In other words, learn how to cooperate and play nice with others.
Apparently that’s a lesson a majority of the Harrisburg School Board didn’t learn.
I’m trying to move on during this post-Keith Huber era. Really, I am. But the anti-public/anti-democracy majority on the board just won’t let me, as they keep doing things I think are harmful to the district and to our democracy.
According to The Champion’s Jan.16 edition, the board decided, on two issues, to not cooperate with others.
The first issue is the Cornbelt Cooperative. Perhaps the district running its own specialized educational services like speech and special education programs instead of having to share them might actually be a good idea.
Fine.
Still, with education costs continuing to rise, it seems that more inter-district cooperation would be a good thing for both the breadth of services offered and as a cost-effective way to do it.
But I’ll give our board members the benefit of the doubt on this one, though I have my doubts.
The second issue, however, clearly does point to not playing nice with others.
That was the 3-2 decision to not conduct the 2008 school board election jointly in April with the Harrisburg City election or on June 3 during the South Dakota Primary. The board set June 17 as the election date.
School board elections are notorious for low voter turnout. It also costs money to conduct elections. So why not help generate more turnout and help reduce the overall costs of elections? Both democracy and efficiency can be served.
Board member Jon Loos was quoted in The Champion on this point.
“If someone gets elected in June instead of April, they won’t have to sit and wait multiple months,” Loos said. “I don’t think that’s appropriate.”
Let’s accept for the sake of argument Loos is right – that three months is too long for a transition and for a lame duck board member to serve.
So, a winning candidate having to wait for just two more weeks in June will somehow harm the winner, the board member being replaced, the board as a whole, the schools and the public?
With Presidential candidates on the June primary ballot, as well as likely candidates for legislature and other offices, the June 3 primary is probably the best date to get the best turnout for an election outside of the November general election.
But no.
June 17 is much better than June 3, the board said.
Given their past actions, I’m guessing low voter turnout is exactly what the board wants.
They’ve shown their disdain for a participatory and open government on numerous occasions.
The June 17 date will help insure another low turnout. Then they can point to apathetic voters as their “mandate” to do whatever it is they want to do, as they are obviously the only people in the district who give a damn about the kids and the school.
Right.
In the meantime, get registered to vote and get your absentee ballot when it is available. And then vote for the board candidates who believe in open government – and cooperation.
Look upon it as an opportunity to teach the Harrisburg School Board a civics lesson in democracy - with a psychology lesson in social skills thrown in for free.