Opinion: Look beyond political party when voting for school board candidates
State College is a thriving community with people from varied cultural, geographic, socio-economic, and political backgrounds, and our local public schools are microcosms of the community. The State College Area School District is governed by a nine-member volunteer board of directors who set district goals and priorities, approve the annual budget, and develop policies which guide day-to-day operations.
This year, for the first time in recent memory, there are 10 candidates running for five positions on the SCASD school board in the general election. The candidates include five women and five men; long-time and more recent residents; parents of school-aged and grown children; and five Democrats, three Republicans, and two Independents.
Based on our combined 30 years of experience serving on the SCASD school board, we encourage voters to consider each candidate individually, rather than voting for a straight slate of directors. Though we are both registered Democrats, we urge voters to look beyond whether there is a (D) or (R) next to each candidate’s name because the issues school boards consider and vote on are not partisan. In fact, though we have served on both politically mixed and single-party boards, the vast majority of votes has been unanimous, and split votes have not been along party lines.
Yet it is still important for the health and vitality of the school district that the school board reflects the community. The board’s decision making process is better when there are directors with a range of of perspectives and experiences because they naturally ask different questions, request different information, and consider a wider range of options. As a result, the board is less likely to overlook important factors, risks, or perspectives which can result in missed opportunities and less optimal decisions. Further, having multiple viewpoints represented on the school board makes it less likely that any single interest or ideology will dominate. This increases transparency, responsiveness and accountability, which are essential for maintaining the community’s trust in public education.
In addition, a diverse school board can contribute to our students’ education beyond the classroom by serving as a role model of positive civic engagement. When school directors with varied backgrounds and perspectives consider issues and make decisions by engaging in thoughtful discussions, respectfully sharing differences of opinion, and working together for the common good, it sends a powerful message, especially in our divided times.
As you fill in your ballot on or before Nov. 7, please vote to ensure the SCASD school board includes people with a variety of experiences and viewpoints who want the best for our students and school community. Our public schools are one of our community’s greatest assets and SCASD is fortunate to have dedicated individuals running to be school directors.