OSBA Board Development Director Kristen Miles presented Sunday, March 9, at the Jackson County Library in Medford on “What It Means To Be a School Board Member.” The audience had lots of questions on topics such as the difference between a school board’s governance and oversight role and a superintendent’s day-to-day management duties. (Photo by Jake Arnold, OSBA)
Eric Dittmer wanted a temperature check Sunday on the attitude toward local school board races.
The thoughtful and respectful audience for a presentation at the Jackson County Library in Medford on “What It Means To Be a School Board Member” offered him some reassurance.
More than three dozen people took time out from a pleasant afternoon to learn more about what it means to be a volunteer school board member and the extent of their roles and responsibilities. Attendees included school board members from the area and potential candidates.
OSBA Board Development Director Kristen Miles and Dawn Watson, a Phoenix-Talent School Board member, answered questions for more than an hour on topics ranging from the ramifications of federal decisions to how education funding works, particularly with special education.
Tempers have been running hot in many parts of the country as political conflicts have found their ways into school board meeting rooms. This is a school board election year in Oregon, meaning roughly half of school board positions are up for a vote.
School Board candidates have until March 20 to file to be on the ballot for the May 20 election. OSBA’s Get on Board campaign offers information on running for a school board and what the role entails.
Dittmer, who was a Medford School Board member in the 1980s, said it seems serving on a school board has become more political. He said he is worried there are people looking to run on issues such as banning particular books, something not in a school board’s purview.
Kathleen Donham, voter services chair for the League of Women Voters of Rogue Valley, said some candidacy support in the area was showing misconceptions about what a school board could legally do.
Donham connected with Watson, who is the OSBA Board vice president, and the league invited OSBA to talk to the community.
“We want there to be factual information out there,” said Donham. “This is what they do. It was a joy to hand it off to somebody who knows what they are talking about.”
Miles gave about a 30-minute presentation followed by questions. Before Miles could even finish her presentation, the audience peppered her with polite but penetrating questions about what a school board can do.
“I’m really glad that you are interested in what is the scope of a board member,” Miles told the audience.
Watson, who has been a board member since 2013, said she wanted the informational presentation to help reinforce the fact school boards are nonpartisan.
“Part of our job is to advocate for laws and policies that help children,” Watson said, “and you can’t do that effectively if you get caught up in partisan battles.”
– Jake Arnold,
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