Although there are no local elections on the March 3 primaries in Escambia County (Ala.) there is a very important constitutional amendment on the ballot.
With no local elections, I predict a very, very, very low turnout in the county. The races for the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate highlight the ballot. I'm still trying to make up my mind on who I will vote for in those races. It won't be Roy Moore for Senate; I've got some I'm leaning toward but I'm still undecided.
I'm not undecided on the constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot to switch our state elected school board to an appointed school board – I'm voting no.
I can see the pros and cons, but I can't vote to take the vote away from the people to make up the state school board.
The amendment on the ballot is asking us to allow the governor to appoint school board members from each congressional district (that we elect now) and then have the Senate approve those nominations.
I've read this amendment several times (it's printed in its entirety on Page 7B inside today's Tri-City Ledger).
I want you to read it. I want you to come up with your own conclusion. I'm writing this column because I've had several people ask me whether they should vote yes or no. If you think it's a good idea, you need to vote yes. I personally think it's a bad idea so I'm voting no.
Basically the bill does away with the elected state school board and replace it with the Alabama Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education.
The governor will nominate members of this new commission with at least one coming from each of the state's seven House of Representative districts and two at-large to make sure the 'commission' has nine members.
The amendment has all the legal garbage that says the commission will reflect and 'geographical, gender and racial diversity of the students enrolled in public K-12 education in the state'.
It's got all the language about staggered six year terms and paying (with no price tag attached) the new 'Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Eduction'.
The amendment reads 'The secretary shall receive an annual salary which shall be fixed by the commission and shall be paid from the State Treasury in installments as the salaries of other state officers are paid'.
I don't know what other 'state officers' are paid and I bet you don't either.
I can't support an amendment to the state constitution that takes the voters' ability to cast their vote at the ballot box on who they want to represent them on the state school board – excuse me – the Alabama Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education.
The pro part of the amendment is designed to get educators involved in the board vs. someone who has the popularity to win an election. I understand that. But I think people making decisions that affect our K-12 system need to be held accountable to the voters of each district.
It's no different than electing a city council member. If they don't do what you like, go to the polls and vote them out.
I have always supported elected school boards but I don't support elected superintendents. We put our trust in the elected school board from Escambia County to hire the best qualified superintendent for the job – whether that person lives in Escambia County or in Detroit, Mich. He or she may live in China for all I know.
I don't have children is the school system any more, but it's still personal to me and should be personal to you. I'm approaching Social Security age quicker than I imagined. I want educated students to get jobs to help pay the tax dollars that not only fund Social Security, but other programs – like generating money to pave roads, hire police officers and firemen.
I've said it many times that there are two types of people in this country – tax payers and tax liabilities. The more education they receive can decide on which side of that scale they fall.
Local control lies at the school board level. I've seen school board members get ousted over superintendent choices. Attack them at the ballot box.
This amendment gives us no right to choose who we want to represent us. I'm voting no.
