Why have school boards? For the sake of democracy and society
“Why have school boards at all?” Oct. 20 Krista Kafer column.
Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer asked a simple question: Why even have school boards?
The answer is equally simple: Because education is a community responsibility, not a commodity.
Kafer notes how contentious school board elections are and suggests we’d all be better off not having to wrestle with issues like “pedagogy, textbooks, sex education, school closures, soda machines, internet access, student privacy … holiday programs, testing, and school safety.”
This is a jaw-dropping suggestion. What is more elemental to our democracy — indeed, what is more fundamental to our heritage as Americans — than participating in the public discussion about what we want for our children and future? School board elections and the policy decisions that follow them have everything to do with charting our future and holding accountable those entrusted with the sacred duty of preparing our children for it.
Democracy is messy and challenging. It’s also our birthright as Americans.
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If Krista Kafer’s shining description of school choice for everyone — without the inconvenience of elected school boards — seems too sweet to believe, that’s because it’s too sweet to believe.
It reflects the Republican/ corporate dogma that an individual is more important in every respect than society. It’s based on GOP dislike of public schooling in general. Who wants educated voters who understand each other? And the party’s long crusade to destroy what are called teacher “unions” but are the only professional associations teachers are permitted to have.
Teaching is the only profession, perhaps, that is denied a professional association and significant influence in decisions.
Kafer touts more social divisiveness in a Republican-polarized nation, privatization of a public service to corporations, public monies for religious and corporate propagandizing, and an educational utopia.
Funny. Conservatives usually condemn utopianism.