Smart People Perspectives

Smart People Perspectives is our newest column featuring thought leaders in our community. Here you will find local perspectives on issues from education to governance to culture. Agree or disagree with our “Smart People”?  Let us know! 

The benefits of appointed school boards

By Dr. Terri Johnson

Parents know what is best for their children. School board members have to make decisions based on what is best for all children in the district. Although some parents believe that school board members will be more accountable to the public if they are elected, school board elections typically have a very low turnout.

Having the city council appoint school board members actually promotes more accountability and better student outcomes.

I am convinced that the success of the Madison City school system is in part due to the fact that this council appoints our school board members. Only 50 of 139 school boards are appointed in this state, yet 20 of the top 25 school districts have appointed boards. And nine of the top 10 school districts in the state have appointed school boards. Madison is ranked No. 2.

One adverse quality of elected school boards is that they are chosen by districts to represent specific schools.

Appointed school board members have the entire city as their constituents, rather than a few schools. They can make decisions based on what is best for students across the district, not what is politically popular with one group of parents.

Appointing a school board member each year for a five-year term allows the council to continually evaluate the board, and promotes continuity of vision and goals, as well as giving new board members a chance to learn from experienced board members.

Another adverse quality of elected school boards is that elected board members tend to be whiter and wealthier, on average.

City council members can appoint board members to reflect the diversity of their community.

I served on the Madison Board of Education for 10 years. I could list many issues that created packed board rooms, angry emails and difficult decisions during that time.

For example, we had four school rezonings. Rezonings were and are unpopular. Our board was united behind the principle that it shouldn’t matter where you live in Madison as long as all schools are excellent.

We determined that the best way to keep all schools excellent was to balance the demographics at each school so that the number of poor children was roughly equal across all schools.

I hope we would have had the courage to make these decisions, even if we had to run for office. But I’m glad we didn’t have to factor in politics with our decision.

I do know that this legacy of maintaining equal socio-economic status at each school was right for all students, even if it made some parents angry with us for a while.

It is important to keep in mind that the schools are run by professional educators of the highest caliber.

School board members aren’t needed to tell teachers how to teach or principals how to run their schools. School board members are there to empower students for global success. They are needed to secure funding, make budget decisions, set long term goals based on data, and ensure policies provide for the safety and highest academic achievement for all students.

School board decisions have to be based on what is best for students, not what is convenient for adults. When you use that metric, it makes the right decision clearer.  Let’s keep politics out of the school board selection process.

Our students deserve a board that can focus solely on them and not the next campaign cycle.

Editors Note:

A school board or board of education is a collection of members, either appointed or elected depending on the school system, which oversees the district’s affairs, personnel, properties, and establishes policies as part of its governance role. 

Of the three school systems within Madison County, Huntsville City Schools and Madison County Schools are led by an elected board of education while Madison City Schools is led by a board of education appointed by the Madison City Council. 

In the Madison City school system each board member is appointed to staggered five-year terms. One of five board members is up for appointment or reappointment each year, and the term of office begins June 1. Each member of the Board of Education of Madison City School serves without compensation.