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Any one on their local Board of Ed? (1 Viewer)

glvsav37

glvsav37

Footballguy
I was just asked by a BOE member to apply for an open position. It's a replacement position that serves till mid-2018, after that, I could run for the regular 3-year term. 

Anyone on their local BOE? Can you give me some insight as to your responsibilities, time commitment, the overall vibe of the position like dealing with other members of the community in general?

 I'm not overly involved in my school, but I have been outspoken on some issues through social outlets (that's how this BOE member and I became friends). My wife is a teacher in the district, so that makes me think twice as I don't want to do anything that would impact her career (it's not a conflict of interest, they checked). 

Trying to get a sense of the position as a whole before deciding. 

 

 
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make sure you clearly state at your first meeting that any kids that doesn't stand for the pledge of allegiance will be expelled.    That will make you a lock come election time.

 
I have a friend who is the local school board president. She puts in a ton of hours to be critiqued by 90% of the town. I wouldn't do it unless I was retired and empty nesting. 

 
Nugget said:
I have a friend who is the local school board president. She puts in a ton of hours to be critiqued by 90% of the town. I wouldn't do it unless I was retired and empty nesting. 
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funny b/c I as rationalizing the opposite. If I'm going to try and have some effect on the way the school is run, I'd rather do it while my kids could still benefit from it, no?

adding to the conversation I have a 6th and 2nd grader in the district. 

 
glvsav37 said:
funny b/c I as rationalizing the opposite. If I'm going to try and have some effect on the way the school is run, I'd rather do it while my kids could still benefit from it, no?

adding to the conversation I have a 6th and 2nd grader in the district. 
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My kids are 2 years ahead - 4th and 8th grade.  Between scouts, soccer, ballet, piano, Lego robotics, and Nutcracker we have absolutely zero time.  My inlaws live next door and they shuttle 50% of the time.  

Any benefits I want my kids to have are easier for me to provide one on one vs trying to change the district and the other 11,000 students.

 
Nugget said:
I have a friend who is the local school board president. She puts in a ton of hours to be critiqued by 90% of the town. I wouldn't do it unless I was retired and empty nesting. 
Click to expand...
cut that budget down to bare bones to reduce property taxes like the hasids.   Smart.

 
I'm surprised they came to you with a wife that works in the district. Speaking from my experience which has been in one district for 18 years, the employees interests and the BOE interests are on different hemispheres. 

I wouldn't want to do it. Although it's a good way to get your kids roles in plays or spots on teams. No one wants to cut a board members kid. 

 
My wife was on the School Board for 5 years and she hated it.  It's a huge time commitment in attending meetings, having side meetings, responding to emails, phone calls, conversations whenever you're in public etc..  Curiously, she didn't mind that part.  What got her was the decision-making - She's a pleaser and had trouble "owning" decisions and hated having people on the losing side upset with her. It was that constant feeling that she was disappointing people that weighed on her daily.

There also seemed to be two sorts of school board member.  The first were part-timers who, because they had full time jobs or were lazy, took a very deferential view and acted as a rubber stamp for whatever the administration put in front of them.  The second were highly active board members who were heavily involved and learned about issues from every angle - these board members did not always follow the administration's wishes, which put them at odds with staff. In some cases, these active board members were isolated, undermined, and ostracized by the administration and the rubber-stampers.  You might want to talk to some present and past board members and see if these issues are present.    

In your situation, having your wife as a teacher sets you up for claims of bias, conflict of interest, and general awkwardness.  You probably can't vote on any teachers union deals and will be labeled pro-teacher.  If you don't vote pro-teacher, it sets you up for some interesting dynamics at home.  I served as my wife's consigliere, which was very hard on me, but you probably couldn't lean on your wife the same way out of fear that she would be pressed for board info/dirt by her coworkers and colleagues.  Having an informational iron curtain and off limit topics at home can be a big challenge.  

With all that said, it was a great learning experience for her and it was deeply rewarding.  At the end of her run, she felt like she had served her community well and was proud of herself for sticking with it.  Good luck.    

 
Mookie said:
My wife was on the School Board for 5 years and she hated it.  It's a huge time commitment in attending meetings, having side meetings, responding to emails, phone calls, conversations whenever you're in public etc..  Curiously, she didn't mind that part.  What got her was the decision-making - She's a pleaser and had trouble "owning" decisions and hated having people on the losing side upset with her. It was that constant feeling that she was disappointing people that weighed on her daily.

There also seemed to be two sorts of school board member.  The first were part-timers who, because they had full time jobs or were lazy, took a very deferential view and acted as a rubber stamp for whatever the administration put in front of them.  The second were highly active board members who were heavily involved and learned about issues from every angle - these board members did not always follow the administration's wishes, which put them at odds with staff. In some cases, these active board members were isolated, undermined, and ostracized by the administration and the rubber-stampers.  You might want to talk to some present and past board members and see if these issues are present.    

In your situation, having your wife as a teacher sets you up for claims of bias, conflict of interest, and general awkwardness.  You probably can't vote on any teachers union deals and will be labeled pro-teacher.  If you don't vote pro-teacher, it sets you up for some interesting dynamics at home.  I served as my wife's consigliere, which was very hard on me, but you probably couldn't lean on your wife the same way out of fear that she would be pressed for board info/dirt by her coworkers and colleagues.  Having an informational iron curtain and off limit topics at home can be a big challenge.  

With all that said, it was a great learning experience for her and it was deeply rewarding.  At the end of her run, she felt like she had served her community well and was proud of herself for sticking with it.  Good luck.    
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awesome insight @Mookie thank you. 

you hit on a few points that concern me. I'm no rubber stamper and need to get deep into issues (which is why I think this BOE member reached out to me to begin with), but also have a full time gig, side business and family/kid obligations that would cut into my preparing and researching the issues. 

Likewise, I don't want to make my wife's job any harder or as you said conflict in any way....good or bad. 

and you last line is the main reason I'm considering it. I do a lot of sideline #####ing and such, while all along hate those types of people who speak up but never do. 

thanks man, I appreciate the info and may PM you if you don't mind if I have a more direct question. 

 
glvsav37 said:
awesome insight @Mookie thank you. 

you hit on a few points that concern me. I'm no rubber stamper and need to get deep into issues (which is why I think this BOE member reached out to me to begin with), but also have a full time gig, side business and family/kid obligations that would cut into my preparing and researching the issues. 

Likewise, I don't want to make my wife's job any harder or as you said conflict in any way....good or bad. 

and you last line is the main reason I'm considering it. I do a lot of sideline #####ing and such, while all along hate those types of people who speak up but never do. 

thanks man, I appreciate the info and may PM you if you don't mind if I have a more direct question. 
Click to expand...
Happy to help

 
glvsav37 said:
awesome insight @Mookie thank you. 

you hit on a few points that concern me. I'm no rubber stamper and need to get deep into issues (which is why I think this BOE member reached out to me to begin with), but also have a full time gig, side business and family/kid obligations that would cut into my preparing and researching the issues. 

Likewise, I don't want to make my wife's job any harder or as you said conflict in any way....good or bad. 

and you last line is the main reason I'm considering it. I do a lot of sideline #####ing and such, while all along hate those types of people who speak up but never do. 

thanks man, I appreciate the info and may PM you if you don't mind if I have a more direct question. 
Click to expand...
I was gonna say don't do it but if you are someone beyotching all the time then yes, you should do it...and if you do step up and do it, when others annoy you with their beyotching kindly hand them an application and remind them volunteers are always in need.

 
Mookie said:
My wife was on the School Board for 5 years and she hated it.  It's a huge time commitment in attending meetings, having side meetings, responding to emails, phone calls, conversations whenever you're in public etc..  Curiously, she didn't mind that part.  What got her was the decision-making - She's a pleaser and had trouble "owning" decisions and hated having people on the losing side upset with her. It was that constant feeling that she was disappointing people that weighed on her daily.

There also seemed to be two sorts of school board member.  The first were part-timers who, because they had full time jobs or were lazy, took a very deferential view and acted as a rubber stamp for whatever the administration put in front of them.  The second were highly active board members who were heavily involved and learned about issues from every angle - these board members did not always follow the administration's wishes, which put them at odds with staff. In some cases, these active board members were isolated, undermined, and ostracized by the administration and the rubber-stampers.  You might want to talk to some present and past board members and see if these issues are present.    

In your situation, having your wife as a teacher sets you up for claims of bias, conflict of interest, and general awkwardness.  You probably can't vote on any teachers union deals and will be labeled pro-teacher.  If you don't vote pro-teacher, it sets you up for some interesting dynamics at home.  I served as my wife's consigliere, which was very hard on me, but you probably couldn't lean on your wife the same way out of fear that she would be pressed for board info/dirt by her coworkers and colleagues.  Having an informational iron curtain and off limit topics at home can be a big challenge.  

With all that said, it was a great learning experience for her and it was deeply rewarding.  At the end of her run, she felt like she had served her community well and was proud of herself for sticking with it.  Good luck.    
Click to expand...
This is scary.  Why in the world would she serve?  Sounds like a disaster for that district.  

 
sbonomo said:
This is scary.  Why in the world would she serve?  Sounds like a disaster for that district.  
Click to expand...
It didn't affect her decision-making - It affected her personally, causing her added stress which she internalized. 

 
Mookie said:
It didn't affect her decision-making - It affected her personally, causing her added stress which she internalized. 
Click to expand...
Maybe i read this wrong but it sounds like she has a hard time making a decision.  Also, with her personality type that sounds miserable.  

 
comfortably numb said:
I was gonna say don't do it but if you are someone beyotching all the time then yes, you should do it...and if you do step up and do it, when others annoy you with their beyotching kindly hand them an application and remind them volunteers are always in need.
Click to expand...
ha...I don't mean beytching like whining...just that when some big issues were raised, points I made got a lot of support. A lot of it was around the standardized testing and roll out of common core which this one board member took notice to. So, I also wonder that her asking me to apply with be as an ally to her for some of these similar issues.  

IDK....it seems the prime commitment will be way too much for me, given my current workload and such. As much as I would love to be involved, I can't take on more then I can chew.

 
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