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School Beat: A Bigger, Better School Board
The rough ride we've all taken this academic year has mobilized the public school community, raising anger but also the level of expectations. Much of the frustration with the recent string of crisis-level events is being taken out on the Board of Education (BOE). Some of this is justified. They are the policy making body and the problems that have come to a head have not been sprung on us suddenly, but for the most part were lurking unpleasantly in the background for quite some time.
Some of this frustration has been with other local sources too. The district administration is the source of educational expertise and that expertise has not been forthcoming in the recent past. Again, the problems we are dealing with now aren't surprises to anyone.
However, as we all know, the most significant contributing factor to our current situation is insufficient funding, a pain made all the more acute by the Governor's continued unwillingness to keep his part of the “deal” and give public schools what they are owed.
The funding crisis is beyond our immediate control. Not that we shouldn't write letters, talk to acquaintances and attend rallies, but as San Francisco voters we are less able to hold the state directly accountable to us. Our most direct route of accountability takes us full circle back to the school board.
The recent dissatisfaction with the board has caused some discussion about how to change it. At one point there were rumors of a recall campaign, which would have diverted precious resources into a very tumultuous short-term change of the guard without any promise of real solutions to pressing problems. Fortunately, this illusory quick-fix evaporated, but some other ideas that focus on the governance structure of the BOE are getting a little more traction.
More
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=2969#more
However, as we all know, the most significant contributing factor to our current situation is insufficient funding, a pain made all the more acute by the Governor's continued unwillingness to keep his part of the “deal” and give public schools what they are owed.
The funding crisis is beyond our immediate control. Not that we shouldn't write letters, talk to acquaintances and attend rallies, but as San Francisco voters we are less able to hold the state directly accountable to us. Our most direct route of accountability takes us full circle back to the school board.
The recent dissatisfaction with the board has caused some discussion about how to change it. At one point there were rumors of a recall campaign, which would have diverted precious resources into a very tumultuous short-term change of the guard without any promise of real solutions to pressing problems. Fortunately, this illusory quick-fix evaporated, but some other ideas that focus on the governance structure of the BOE are getting a little more traction.
More
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=2969#more
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