Get to know school board candidates

The requirements to be a school board member in Iowa are simple. You must be at least 18 years of age, be eligible to vote and live in the school district where you want to serve. You cannot be an employee of the school district where you want to be a board member.

But like Paul Harvey, “Here’s the rest of the story.”

School board candidates are those willing to step up for a voluntary job where meetings sometimes feel like a never-ending root canal without Novocain. They’re people who get interrupted grocery shopping by people wanting school answers. They field phone calls from people questioning, lobbying, and sometimes screaming.

Sometimes they deal with crises. We’ve recently seen the Des Moines School Board thrust into the national spotlight and observed its poise and transparency as it tries to keep the public informed and resolve the crisis.

Even when we disagree, all board members deserve our respect. They don’t do it for a salary. They don’t do it for prestige. They do it because they love their school district and care about students and educators.

These brave souls deserve our participation through getting to know candidates and then voting. Voter turnout in most Iowa towns is in the low double digits unless there’s controversy.

School board elections are Nov. 4. Most places have candidate forums. If you don’t attend with hard questions, some candidates just repeat rehearsed talking points. Here are some questions that might assist.

When was your last visit to a public school?

Why do you want to be on the school board?

What employee background checks should be used?

How would you handle immigration raids during school days?

As a board member, how would you make school a welcoming place for all students?

The U.S. Department of Education may be rewriting guidelines to allow prayer in public schools. How do you feel about that?

What do you see as the strengths and the weaknesses of the school district?

What are your priorities for the district?

How will you handle the teacher shortage?

How would you handle the paraeducator and substitute shortages?

Do you believe teachers are indoctrinating students? Why or why not?

How do you feel about the President’s Executive Order banning diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) in public schools and universities?

Are you affiliated with any group? If you are, what is the name of the group, and how do you as a candidate differ from the agenda of that group?

How do you feel about private school vouchers?

Who should determine curriculum content?

If there is a complaint about a book in the library or classroom, how would you handle it?

Will you be willing to lobby state and federal lawmakers on public school issues?

What should the procedure be if a parent has a complaint about curriculum?

It’s also important to watch campaigns. What’s the tone? Does the candidate fixate on one issue? What happens when that one issue candidate resolves their one issue?

The best board candidates don’t have all the answers, but they’re willing to listen, learn, and stand up for students and educators. Please reward the candidates by getting informed and then voting

Bruce Lear taught for 11 years and represented educators as an Iowa State Education Association Regional Director for 27 years until he retired. He lives in Sioux City. BruceLear2419@gmail.com