After attending the PTO -sponsored school board forum and being a past two-term member of the Bluffton-Harrison School Board, I feel compelled to make some general comments.
First, all school boards are non-partisan. That means voters vote for the candidate and not because of any party affiliation. I firmly believe communities don’t want school board candidates to run showing what party they are affiliated with.
When we discussed issues, it always was what is best for the students and the school system. I believed, and the members I served with believed, we were stewards of the school system and we hoped to leave it just as good if not better than when we started serving as a board member.
Second, a school board member can act only as a member of the board in an official meeting. Outside of that meeting, a school board member has no more powers or influence than any other member of the community. Yes, people will stop you at Wal-Mart or Kroger and share their opinions with you. If you are a good school board member, you will listen to their opinions and that’s all.
My final point is this, sitting in the crowd at a school board meeting — and I am assuming the challengers have attended a school board meeting or two — is a lot different than sitting at the table during a school board meeting.
Kent Shady
Bluffton
