School boards help public schools survive

As Republican presidential wannabes traipse across the countryside, there’s another more immediate election looming. School board elections in November will help determine if our community school thrives, suffers or dies.

Iowa has a governor and a group of legislators committed to creating a two-tiered school system, separate and unequal, both funded with public dollars. One tier is used as a political punching bag and is chronically underfunded. The other tier has funding from a new voucher entitlement, can pick and choose who to accept and has little to no accountability to taxpayers.

This two-tier school system isn’t financially feasible long term. Iowans must suffer through this mistake until at least the next legislative election.

That’s why we need to elect school boards who’ll protect public schools, the foundation Iowa was built upon.

We don’t need hard- core Democrats or Republicans running our schools. We need hard-core consensus builders who disagree publicly and privately without being disagreeable. We need board members who are committed to challenging state leaders, and who will put kids and educators first.

These are our friends and neighbors running and they deserve gratitude for taking the risk, but they also owe it to the community to answer hard questions.

• When was your last visit to a public school?

• Why do you want to be on the school board?

• Are you willing to consistently lobby for increased funding?

• How would you handle losing an election?

• Do you believe teachers are indoctrinating students?

• 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?

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

• What are your priorities for the district?

• 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?

• How will you handle the teacher shortage?

• How would you handle the paraeducator and substitute shortages?

• How would you get parents more involved in the school?

• Do you think parents should determine the curriculum?

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

• Do you believe parents are the school district’s customers? Why?

• How would you handle a complaint by a parent about a school employee?

• How would you handle a complaint by a school employee about another employee?

• How will you work as a team with the other school board members?

• Define “woke.”

If a candidate attacks the district about one specific issue and never goes beyond that attack to discuss other issues, you have an “ax to grind candidate.”

Follow the money. It’s surprising how much money is spent in a school board race. Watch to see what individuals or groups contribute.

Even though the presidential campaign dominates, we owe it to our future to consider the election that will protect our schools.

Bruce Lear of Sioux City taught for 11 years and was an Iowa State Education Association regional director for 27 years until retiring.