Traditionally, a school board is a body of political novices and a training ground for those with further political aspirations.
If someone wants to be the sheriff, for instance, or an elected judge, they generally need to meet certain criteria, say, a background in law enforcement or a law degree.
To be on the school board, however, the only criteria you have to meet is be able to say “The children are our future” or some similar refrain convincingly. It helps if you’re a parent with a child in the system, but it’s not necessary. And you generally don’t have to worry about running against the A C Wharton’s of the world.
But in the current funding crisis, it would help if MCS board members had more political experience.
A few weeks ago, the MCS school board voted to ask the city of Memphis to fully fund $50 million the city had promised them. The move, in effect, rejected a City Council approved plan to take $28 million from the city reserves, make $10 million in city budget cuts, and then forgive $12 million that the district owes the city.
What a waste of a discussion. Why even vote for a resolution asking for all $50 million? We get it, the school system budgeted for that $50 million and it wants it in cash, but just reiterating your position over and over doesn’t help find a solution.
