Term limits for school board members? Eight isn’t enough
The people who run Tallahassee, those all-knowing role models of good government, have decided that no member of a Florida school board should serve more than eight consecutive years.
Since lawmakers are forced to live under the “eight is enough” system, the Florida Legislature’s Republican majority wants school board members to live under it, too.
If they could make it happen on their own, they would. But this change requires an amendment to the state Constitution. To reach the November ballot, they need the approval of three-fifths of the members of both houses. It’s a rare opportunity for the minority Democrats to have a real impact.
Here’s the Republicans’ main argument: term limits are popular with the public. That’s what Rep. Anthony Sabatini, RHowey-in-the-Hills, told a House committee that passed his bill on a 10-5 party-line vote.
“Eighty two percent of Floridians want term limits,” Sabatini said. “This is just a good-government bill.”
But for that matter, the same could be said of common-sense gun reforms. More than 90% of Americans support background checks for all gun sales. So why are Florida lawmakers sitting on their hands?
On the flip side, what happens if something is unpopular? In the 1970s, Floridians resisted school desegregation. Should the tyranny of the majority rule? Good governance means doing what’s right, even when it’s unpopular.
If lawmakers want more turnover on school boards, here’s an idea for real reform: Prohibit board members and challengers from taking campaign money from vendors who do business with the school district.
Not one nickel from architects, engineers, textbook publishers or anyone else looking to make money off school board decisions. It costs so much money to build name recognition in big urban counties like Broward that well-intentioned challengers can’t compete.
In truth, imposing term limits on school boards is just another Tallahassee powergrab. It’s partly payback to boards that have resisted charter schools, vouchers and arming teachers. It could also be payback for a certain school board’s failure to suspend a certain Broward school superintendent who Gov. Ron DeSantis wants gone.
Capitol politicians should acknowledge the obvious: Term limits sound great as a concept, but they’ve had terrible real-life consequences in the Legislature.
The revolving-door institution is a shrunken imitation of its former self. It’s a swamp of special interest money and raw ambition. Many members have scant knowledge of Florida history. Many keep an watchful eye out for a lucrative job in government, lobbying or at a university.
Because of the turnover, long-time lobbyists and staffers have excessive influence, just as critics feared when the idea became part of the Constitution in 1992. And legislative leaders — sometimes chosen before they serve a single year — are more powerful than ever.
Certainly, new blood and fresh eyes would add value to school boards. An elected office shouldn’t last a lifetime. If this proposal were for 12 years, not eight, it would be easier to support.
Twelve years is plenty of time to implement an agenda, if one can. But once someone’s name is well known, it’s hard to unseat them, even if they are known to fall asleep in that seat.
This proposal also would be easier to stomach if it had a local option. In other words, if the people of each county could decide whether to impose eight-year term limits on school boards. What works in Palatka doesn’t necessarily work in Pembroke Pines.
Florida school board members serve four-year terms. They also run as nonpartisan candidates. Many are motivated by a commitment to improve the lives of our children. Some use it as a stepping stone to higher office.
The data suggests there’s already plenty of turnover on school boards. According to the Florida School Boards Association, 64% of incumbent school board members were reelected in 2018; the other 36% were newcomers. In 2016, 54% were reelected and 46% were new.
Republicans keep trumpeting students achievement gains in Florida. Given that, why do we need to overhaul the system of electing school boards? The answer is, we don’t.