Remarks on Board of Education Unfair Election Practices

The remarks below were prompted by my continuing dismay with school board elections, especially this year.

Board of Education Unfair Election Practices Presented to the New Rochelle Board of Education on June 7, 2011.

Under New York State law, the local of Board of Education administers elections for school board and budget referendums. The Board of Education has a rooting interest in the outcome of these elections; they want compliant board members who will support administration policy and go along with budget increases and tax increases and they want a “yes” vote on budget/tax levy referendums. There is a glaring and obvious conflict of interest.

The school board controls a massive amount of tax money and this responsibility should not be taken lightly. The board should certainly not be put in a position where they may be tempted to put their finger on the scale, so to speak, in an attempt to alter election outcomes.

The only viable solution is to place school elections under the supervision of the local County Board of Elections so that it can be managed by parties with a direct stake in the outcome.

Today I called the offices of Assemblyman George Latimer and Senator Susie Oppenheimer asking to meet with them about the many unfair school election practices which are used to bring about outcomes desired by the school district. I would like to get your ideas as well so that I might share them at these meetings.

Here are a few concerns:

1. The school board election should not be held in the public schools. These locations create a conflict of interest and allow virtual campaigning only a few feet from the election machines. Under election law it is necessary to post signs outside the building a large number of feet from the polling places to stop any campaigning from occurring, but there is no rule for activities in the schools which blatantly promote the attendance of parents in the schools on election day. The PTA’s endorse candidates, compounding the issue of fairness by holding activities on election day in the schools so that the parents of the 11,500 children in the public schools will come to school where the polling places will be visible.

2. No “special” school activities such as ones that were held this year should be allowed on election day, e.g. cake sales, bring your parent to school day, or night programs the same evening as the election. They are clearly designed to attract parents with children in the school system to polling places in the belief these parents will support the budget and “anointed” school board candidates. The crowds attracted to these events also discourage voters who do not have children in the schools; parking lots are often full to overflowing requiring many to park far away, a particular hardship for elderly and disabled voters.

3. Turnout in school elections is notoriously low. primarily because they are held in May and little done to promote the elections outside those with a vested interest teachers and other union members and parents with children in the school. School elections should occur in November with municipal elections. In Michigan 100 districts have switched to November elections. In New York State, Albany, Rochester and Syracuse hold school board elections in November. (source: New York School Boards Association, Fall 2010 issue)

We teach children freedom is not free, and then turn around and used these less than desirable practices to protect the status quo. Let’s return our schools to the premise that Democracy is supposed to be government of the people, by the people, and for the people and stop thwarting democracy in our schools

I will be discussing these concerns further with our State legislators to determine if any changes in the law can be made. Any comments on these practices would be appreciated. Have you observed or experienced any unfair election practices? Please share them in the comments below.