By Scott Weisser
THE GOSHEN NEWS
Fri, May 16 2008
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MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — Elected or appointed?
On May 6, voters in the Middlebury Community Schools corporation will decide what type of school board they’ll have in the future. Middlebury’s is now one of the few appointed boards in Indiana.
In the upcoming primary election, voters can pick one of three options — two plans for an elected board, or staying with an appointed body. As it stands now, school board members are appointed by the Middlebury Town Board and the three township trustees in the school corporation.
All registered voters in the school district can take part in the referendum. The referendum will occur in connection with the political party primaries, but voters don’t need to declare with either party to vote on school board issue.
Supporters of an elected board forced the issue last year by gathering enough signatures in a petition drive. However, the plan they submitted to school officials didn’t comply with state statute.
School board members rejected the petitioners’ proposal. They also drew up their own plan for an elected board — though they don’t endorse it. The idea, according to school officials, was to give voters an option that was in line with Indiana code.
Since then, the state Department of Education has modified the petitioners’ plan to bring it into compliance with the law. The choices voters will have on May 6 are all legal, in other words.
The major differences between the proposals are:
• Option 1 (the school board plan) calls for elections to be held in November. It requires that board members be at least 21 years old, have resided in the school corporation for three years, and have lived in their respective districts for at least one year immediately prior to the election.
• Option 2 (the petitioners’ plan) calls for elections to take place in May. It requires members to be at least 18 years old and residents of their districts for at least a year prior to the election.
• Option 3 (status quo) would result in board members continuing to be appointed.
All three options call for a five-member school board. One member would be from within the Middlebury town limits; one from Middlebury Township outside the corporate town limits; two members from Jefferson Township; and one member from York Township.
In all proposals, four-year terms would begin on July 1 after the expiration of the incumbent’s term.
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — There are two options for an elected Middlebury school board.
Mike O’Reilly hopes voters choose Option 2.
O’Reilly supports having an elected board. His concern is that with two choices on the ballot May 6, the vote could be split.
Whichever of the three options — including continuing with an appointed board — gets the most votes on Election Day wins. Potentially, more people could show up to the polls wanting an elected board, but the appointed option would still carry the day.
“It’s not fair to our citizens at all,” O’Reilly said. The ballot set-up is legal, he acknowledged, but that doesn’t make it right or fair.
“That’s what they do in Third World countries,” O’Reilly said, later adding, “It just screws up the ballot.”
Option 1 is an elected board plan established by school board members. Option 2 is listed as the “petitioners’ proposed plan” — the petitioners being the ones who sought an elected board in the first place.
Option 2 is the better of the two plans for an elected body, in O’Reilly’s view.
“We went with 18 years of age, (the school board) went with 21,” he said, referring to the age requirement for board candidates. Under Option 2, a candidate would need to be a resident of his or her school district for a year. “That’s plenty of time for people to get established,” O’Reilly said.
The school board plan requires candidates to have lived in the school corporation for three years, and have lived in their respective districts for at least one year immediately prior to the election.
O’Reilly said he thinks most of the people in the school corporation favor an elected school board
“I’ve got to get most of the people to vote for Option 2,” he said.
Election supported
Linda Rothrock also supports an elected Middlebury school board.
“I think it gives the taxpayers in our community a democratic voice and an opportunity to choose who we want to serve,” not just accept who’s appointed, she said.
Controversy over the high school building project factors into the elected vs. appointed debate.
“I think it was the icing on the cake,” Rothrock said.
School board members initially approved a “classroom-only” project. They also avoided a remonstrance that stalled a school building proposal in 2003.
The school board later moved ahead with “Project II,” which includes an auditorium and pool. Project II sparked another petition drive, though supporters ultimately got more signatures in favor.
“They turned around and decided they were going to do what they wanted to do,” Rothrock said of the school board. She added that she didn’t have a problem putting in classrooms “so our children can get an education.”
President comments
School board president Delores Merrick discussed the referendum at last week’s board meeting.
Merrick said that with an elected board, a potential candidate would need to go the county clerk’s office, list his or her name and home address and provide 10 signatures from registered voters.
Merrick contrasted that with what she and the other appointed board members had to go through. She said they had to state their occupation, education level, affiliations, educational experience (classroom volunteer, teacher’s aide, etc.) and philosophy of education.
Merrick said they were also asked about other issues, including what they would look for in a school administrator, specific goals they have for the school system, and what they think qualifies them to serve on the school board.
“I know people think that if you’re elected, it somehow seems more fair,” Merrick said. But referring to the questions she listed, Merrick wondered whether voters would know all that information about the candidates on Election Day.
“I just want you to consider that it’s not easy to sit up here,” she said.
Board member’s view
Al Heims is stepping down as a school board member after his term ends June 30.
“It’s worked here,” he said of the appointed board. “It’s worked in Middlebury.” Middlebury Community Schools is known for its good schools and low tax rate, and for being a good place to work, he said.
However, Heims also said he thinks the public should have the right to decide the process.
“I think it’s totally up to the community,” Heims said. But he wants people to think through the issue, not just listen to rhetoric.
“The critical thing for me is they need to make a wise decision,” Heims said.
Heims pointed out that town board members and township trustees — the people who do the appointing — are elected officials. He also noted that under the current set-up, school board members aren’t beholden to any groups.
“Nobody got us elected,” he said. Heims voiced his concern that if serving on the school board becomes a political process, “will that pull the focus away from education?”
“My goal is what’s going to serve kids and taxpayers well in the long run,” he said.
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