Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 25, 1994 TAG: 9410250061
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But if anyone can distinguish between new fads and old sense, surely Salemites can. They long have taken pride in their civic independence. They can demonstrate it anew and well, come Nov. 8, by voting "no" on the school-board-elections referendum.
It is curious that the issue even appears on the city's ballot. Quite aside from the merits of voter participation, elected boards have been embraced in many jurisdictions around the state as a means of expressing long-simmering dissatisfaction with public-school systems or local governments.
If Salem is simmering, it hasn't been very noticeable. Voters in the last election did make the first change on City Council in a decade. But mostly what continues to be heard are expressions of contentment, especially with the schools.
In the 11 years since Salem schools spun off from Roanoke County's, the system has been cited for excellence time and again, and on any number of measures.
Even those who worked to put the election question on the ballot haven't conspicuously complained. They've even said they're neutral on the issue, and merely wanted Salem too have the opportunity to vote on it.
There are reasons, meanwhile, to vote no.
One is cost, though this may have been overemphasized by the referendum's critics. Under current cooperative arrangements, Salem's School Board is served by the city's attorney and departments of finance, maintenance, etc. In the event of a conflict of interest, an elected School Board might have to hire its own attorney. It also might choose to end other cost-sharing arrangements - potentially increasing costs for taxpayers.
Another problem is diversity. Because Salem has such a small (about 5 percent) black population, electing the school board might reduce chances for minority representation. (The board has one black member now.)
Other arguments against elected boards apply in Salem just as they do in Franklin County, Radford and other localities where the issue is on next month's ballot.
Some voters, for example, have opted for elected boards in hopes of increasing accountability for school operations. But appointment by elected officials - in Salem's case, by City Council - offers a measure of accountability. And when elected boards lack fiscal authority, full accountability remains elusive. Candidates can promise anything, without taking responsibility for delivering it.
There's also the danger that highly motivated groups - the religious right, say, or a teachers' lobby - might use elections to take over boards to advance their special interests. That's not bound to happen, but voters should beware of the risk.
We recommend a "no" vote. At the least, since elected school boards don't seem a burning issue in Salem, Radford or Franklin County, voters should take advantage of their catbird seat. Roanoke County elects school board members for the first time this year. Other localities could wait to see how it works there before leaping aboard the bandwagon.
by CNB