Board Beyond Recognition

 You have to hand it to school board members around this great nation. They ain't doing it for the money, and as of today, they are taking much more than their fair share of grief. Who knew that authorizing expenditures and overseeing policy decisions was worthy of such consternation, but apparently it is. So, why do these mostly anonymous people do it? Well, if the local school board is any indication, they seem to care about all kids getting an equitable, good basic education. WHAT! Somebody grab a pitchfork.

For their trouble, current and former members of school boards are threatened in private and in public for closing schools or building new ones. They are threatened because of the color of their skin, or for allowing some book in the school library, or having sex education classes or for insisting that schools should be safe places for teachers, children, and staff to be without contracting a contagious (and for just under 7,000  Iowans including 117 just this past week), a deadly disease.

Education is a good thing, not because we all have to agree about everything, like what "public safety" means. We should have a lively debate over things like liberty and freedom, but when your debate rhetoric dissolves into angry (and hopefully, ironic) Nazi salutes, death threats, and stalking people performing public service, you got to ask: is it worth it? Because from where I stand, no one should be brutally disrespected or tormented for doing what they were elected to do--and that is to make hard and, in some cases, mind-numbing decisions.

There is no glory in being a school board member. That is why you should actually learn about them before you elect them and voice your opinion to them at meetings with civility. School Board meetings are not reality shows, they are places to give input, get involved, and/or to get out of the way. Do you think you can do a better job? Have at it, Bud/Budette. Take your time and run for one of those cushy seats. No doubt, you'll have people telling you how to do your job, too.

By the way, if you live in Iowa City, we have an election for the school board. Go learn about these people and vote on Tuesday, November 2nd, or vote early at the County Administration building or satellite locations. It is important work they do, but don't be a jerk to them about it.