When politics take over school boards, students pay the price

Placer County is an extraordinary place to live, work and raise a family. For decades, our community has benefited from leaders willing to work together, solve problems and think innovatively. Our public schools are an important part of that success. Families move to Placer County because of our schools, and I am immensely proud of what our educators, students and communities have built. But in recent election cycles, I have watched something concerning take hold: the increasing partisanship of local school board races. I have spent the past 20 years as the elected Placer County Superintendent of Schools. Throughout my career, my priorities have remained consistent: good governance, fiscal stewardship, accountability and ensuring students and families have access to excellent educational opportunities. Those priorities are not Republican or Democratic. They are non-partisan and the responsibilities of good government. That is why I am increasingly concerned when candidates seek school board positions primarily to advance narrow political agendas, single issues or ideological causes. School boards should not become battlegrounds for national partisan disputes. When trustees place politics ahead of governance, there are consequences. Meetings become consumed by controversy. Relationships deteriorate. Superintendents and staff spend valuable time managing conflict instead of improving schools. Ultimately, students pay the price for adult-manufactured, partisan political crises. Placer County deserves better. I am frequently asked to endorse candidates for school board. I take those requests seriously because lending my name and reputation to a candidate means something to me. Before making an endorsement, I personally meet with candidates. I want to understand why they are running, whether they understand board governance and whether they possess the judgment and temperament necessary to govern a sophisticated public organization. One thing I do not ask is their party registration. I have proudly supported Republicans, Democrats and voters who decline to state a political party. The quality of the individual matters far more to me than the letter next to someone's name. School board governance is not about party loyalty. It is about leadership. After 20 years as county superintendent, I also recognize the warning signs when governance teams begin to break down. I hear people talk about transparency while sometimes failing to be transparent. I hear people demand accountability while resisting accountability. After decades in public education, I have learned to distinguish between rhetoric and governance. Voters should do the same. That is why voters should be cautious about selecting school board candidates simply because a political party or partisan organization handed them a list of names. Party affiliation tells voters very little about whether someone possesses the judgment, temperament and collaborative skills necessary to govern a school district. School board trustees oversee substantial public budgets, employ hundreds or thousands of people, establish policy, evaluate superintendents and make decisions affecting thousands of children and families. That responsibility deserves more consideration than checking a party endorsement list. Two years ago, that concern led me to publish a Non-Partisan Voter Guide to School Board Races. I wanted voters to have another source of information about candidates whom I believe understand what effective governance requires. The candidates I support are Republicans, Democrats and voters who decline to state a party preference. They will not agree on every issue, nor should they. What they share is more important. They understand that governing requires judgment, preparation, civility, accountability and the ability to work with people who see issues differently. They understand that the job of a trustee is not to manufacture controversy or perform for a political audience. It is to govern. There will always be legitimate disagreements about education policy. We should welcome those debates. Parents should ask difficult questions. Trustees should challenge assumptions. Administrators should be held accountable for student outcomes. Transparency should be expected. But disagreement is different from dysfunction, and accountability is different from political theater. When you vote for school board, look beyond the party label, slogans and partisan slate cards. Ask instead: Does this person have the judgment, temperament and integrity to govern? Will this person put students ahead of politics? Will this person strengthen the district — or spend the next four years creating conflict within it? Our children do not need Republican schools or Democratic schools. They need excellent schools. Gayle Garbolino-Mojica is the Placer County Superintendent of Schools.