Stand against partisanship in schools
It’s been a few weeks since I wrote a column for this space. Instead, we’ve been fortunate enough to print your opinions.
I take it as a sign of a newspaper’s health relative to its relationship with readers when we have a lot of letters to the editor or guest columns coming to my inbox.
Since Hurricane Helene and the presidential election, it seems plenty of you have had plenty to say. I wanted to express a sincere thank you to all of those who have submitted and to those of you readers who gained, perhaps, a better sense of how your neighbors feel about what’s going on in this country. Discussion on important issues is a good thing.
Keep’em coming.
The Jackson County commissioners think helping their local school board get mired in partisan politics is a good thing? I respectfully disagree.
Jackson commissioners surprised their citizens by deciding without any prior notice to call for a vote to make the school board partisan, meaning candidates will declare their political affiliation before they run in the primary and general election. Citizens didn’t ask for the switch. Commissioners didn’t tell anyone they were considering it. Their methodology and their decision are prime examples of why partisanship at this level of local government often causes many more problems than it solves.
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Unfortunately, seems the Jackson commissioners aren’t alone in their thought process (despite the fact that their methodology reveals what some might describe as a lack of respect for their constituents). In 2015, 17 North Carolina school districts had partisan elections. By 2024, that number had grown to 52. The state has 115 school districts.
Public school boards in this state have a tough job balancing the needs of students, parents and staff. Installing a brand of partisanship that will only divide the community and make these decisions even more difficult, controversial and personal is just a bad idea.
Let’s end this with the words of Jackson County School Board Chairman Wes Jamison:
“A strong school board is one that brings together people with different perspectives, all working toward the shared goal of providing the best possible education for our students. We don’t need a public school system that appears to serve only one part of the community — we need one that represents and serves everyone. It is my hope that our General Assembly representatives, Sen. [Kevin] Corbin and Rep. [Mike] Clampitt, will recognize this and choose not to move forward with the request made by four of our county commissioners.”
Well said.
And former county commissioner, public school teacher and school board member Gayle Woody also had a pithy statement about this proposal: “It will not serve the interest of our students and teachers. School board members, unlike other elected officials, must bear sole allegiance to the students and parents they serve and not leaders or platforms of specific political parties.”
Unfortunately, Mike Clampitt has already filed a bill in the General Assembly to make this happen. No surprise there. Clampitt is as partisan as they come. Here’s hoping that this bill never sees the light of day.
(Scott McLeod can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
