NSBA President: School boards need to be models for democracy
By Barbara Bolas
During a visit to the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, I had the opportunity to walk among the life-size bronze statues of our forefathers. As I strolled among the figures, I was surprised by their stature as many were not much taller than me. As a matter of fact, James Madison stood eye-to-eye to my five-foot-two height.
Yet, these men built the foundation for our representative form of democracy that has survived more than 200 years. As the evening progressed, I was struck by a resonating message of how, despite their differences in viewpoints, they worked day after day to build a consensus to ensure the foundation of our great democratic nation that would withstand the test of time.
In our work as school board members, we have the opportunity to ensure that the foundation of our democracy continues. It is the legacy that we leave for future generations, just as our forefathers left their legacy for us.
As leaders in our communities, at our school board meetings, we have the chance to model good citizenship. We do so not only for our residents, but more important, for the students that we hope will become productive citizens of our country, as well as in the global society. As school board leaders, we have an obligation to model civility if we want our students to respect authority.
We’ve all witnessed or heard stories about disruptive board member conduct. Such actions sometimes result in negative consequences; one district nearly lost its accreditation. However, such times can often be an opportunity for improvement.
By working together closely with its superintendent, this board eventually was deemed exemplary by its state school boards association.
This confirms a report by the New England School Development Council that showed a good working relationship between the board and superintendent can increase student achievement.
In the 20-plus years that I have served as a school board member, I have personally observed how respect and civility can go a long way toward helping everyone stay focused on the main goal of increasing student achievement.
People who begin board service with a single agenda can cause a temporary shift in the focus of the district, which could result in unintended consequences, such as a budget deficit. At these times, it is particularly important to follow your board policies.
Staying within the guidelines of board policy and procedures is especially helpful when the board is dealing with such hot-button issues as district boundary changes, school closings, or curriculum conflicts.
It is essential to keep the lines of communication open with the community at large on an ongoing basis to ensure that the district is moving forward at all times. This is more critical as funding levels drop. In this times, it is absolutely critical to build partnership with the community to make sure that our students graduate prepared to become responsible and educated citizens.
The most effective school board members understand the importance of always being on one’s best behavior, engaging with one another in a civil manner, and following the board’s policies on governance and ethical conduct. When boards go off track, the district loses its focus on its primary mission of improving student achievement and educating our students for the 21st century.
Effective boards have good standards on board conduct and operations. Members of such boards know the proper way to get an item on the agenda, how committees are formed, how to evaluate the superintendent, how to handle questions from the media, and how to comply with the open meetings laws.
Several state school boards associations have developed voluntary standards that address board conduct. The California School Boards Association’s Professional Governance Standards, for example, say an effective board member “acts with dignity and understands the implications of demeanor and behavior.”
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) has developed a set of 36 standards of effective school governance, including recommendations that boards promote public education as a keystone of democracy, operate as a collective board in making decisions, and seek input from stakeholders.
PSBA’s Code of Conduct for members of Pennsylvania school boards calls for board members to “work together in a spirit of harmony, respect, and cooperation, despite differences of opinion.”
The Georgia School Boards Association also has voluntary standards for board governance -- covering vision, philosophy, and goals; systematic improvement; organizational structure; various areas of board operations; and board relations with the staff and community. School boards in full compliance with these standards are recognized as “boards of distinction.”
NSBA offers a range of resources, including a code of ethics; Becoming a Better Board Member, a comprehensive guide on board service; and the Key Work of School Boards, a framework for getting boards to focus on raising student achievement.
Board members embroiled in interpersonal conflicts need to stop and think: How is my behavior helping our students achieve? Are you setting a good example for your district’s students on how to resolve conflicts?
At a recent workshop I attended on “Servant Leadership,” I found the following quote by Kent M. Keith to be on point:
“Leadership is not about controlling people; it’s about caring for people and being a useful resource for people. Leadership is not about being boss; it’s about being present for people and building a community at work.”
We all enter school board service because we care about the future of our students and our country. When we encounter difficult times, we need to stay focused and realize that, no matter our differences, we have the same goal of doing what is right for our students. This will go a long way in getting us through tough challenges.
Your school board can be a model of democracy in setting the goals and vision for the public schools in your community. You might have a personal agenda to promote change, but you have an even greater obligation to the students in your school district, your community, the principles of democracy, and your country.
Reproduced with permission from School Board News. Copyright © 2008, National School Boards Association. Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect positions of NSBA. This article may be printed out and photocopied for individual or educational use, provided this copyright notice appears on each copy. This article may not be otherwise transmitted or reproduced in print or electronic form without the consent of the Publisher. For more information, call (703) 838-6789.