Proposal to abolish Richmond's elected school board faces uphill battle
The proposal by Richmond, Virginia business and civic leaders to abolish the elected school board and replace it with an appointed board faces an uphill battle from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and state legislators. Proposal proponents must obtain pre-clearance from DOJ that the change will not damage the voting rights of racial minorities protected under federal law. The proposal is also receiving criticism from some state legislators who complain they were not consulted about the proposal and will not support it without voter approval in a referendum. Del. Dwight Clinton Jones of Richmond blames Mayor Douglas Wilder, who has been warring with the school board on issues ranging from how it spends its money to when it will close underused school buildings. "It's probably an end run by the mayor to get done, through another method, what he couldn't get done by fiat," he says. Del. A. Donald McEachin of Henrico County, who also represents part of the city, says that he will not support the proposal without a referendum first. Mayor Wilder has publicly disavowed the suggestion that he encouraged Richmond’s business leaders, especially those who are long time allies, to come forward with the proposal. The group of business leaders has issued a statement repeating its reasons for the proposal and its call for "a vigorous dialogue on the condition of the city's schools." In that statement, it contends the city’s governing structure is flawed because the mayor and city council have little control over school operations and how public funding is spent while the school board has insufficient control of the amount of money it requires to operate the schools. However, some legislators are troubled by the prospect of reducing the accountability of school officials to voters in their districts. Del. Jones also warns that the city's General Assembly delegation will not just look at changes in school governance if it seeks amendments to the city charter. He points out the charter also may need changing to clarify the powers of the mayor and city council. "We are not going to have good schools if we continue to have the mayor and City Council at each other the way they are," he says.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
By Michael Martz
[Full story]
[Editor’s Note: For background, see below.]
[NSBA School Law pages on Richmond proposal to eliminate elected school board]