George,

I would like to respond to Martha Wood's thoughtful concerns about an elected school board.

1. Ms. Wood's assumption that "[t]he success of an elected school board depends on there being several candidates for each seat" is incorrect. Rather, success depends on there being at least one qualified candidate for each seat. Mitch Van Yahres often was unopposed for reelection to the House of Delegates because voters were extremely satisfied with his performance. Uncompetitive elections for a school board are not in themselves a problem. Only the absence of qualified candidates would be a problem. In Charlottesville, we have many potential qualified candidates for an elected school board.

2. Ms. Wood notes -- correctly, in my view -- that "the success of an elected school board depends upon persons without a hidden agenda or an axe to grind with public schools, who are willing to do the homework needed to become informed on the budget process and needs of the children and stand up for the necessary funding and staffing." She fails to point out, however, that the same is equally true of an appointed board. One of the problems we have now is that past City Councils made appointments to the board based on criteria that were not made public (in other words, they had their own "hidden agenda"). As for electing candidates who work hard for the schools and fight "for the necessary staffing and funding," there is every reason to believe that progressive Charlottesville will vote such candidates into office.

3. Ms. Wood warns that "running for elected office is expensive and could be a deterrent to a good candidate without personal wealth or a wealthy backer (s). Enter, special interests." She neglects to mention, however, that Democratic City Council candidates have always had their campaigns financed by the Party. It is true that school board elections have to be nonpartisan. But I am confident that our robust local Democratic Party will mobilize its informal networks to fund its preferred school board candidates. Qualified candidates of modest means will be able to compete successfully in school board elections, all the moreso because elections will be ward-based rather than citywide (so the campaigning will be localized and less expensive).

4. Ms. Wood concludes by noting that "there is little reason to think elected school boards will be better." Given such logic, is she also an opponent of an elected City Council? Does she not agree that democracy, for all its flaws, has the merit of making government more responsive, more transparent, and (because it enjoys popular support) more stable? Or does she not trust Charlottesville -- a community that is passionate and informed about public education -- to make wise decisions at the polls?

I for one place my faith in democracy and the collective wisdom of Charlottesville's overwhelmingly progressive voters.

Jeff Rossman (electronic mail, May 7, 2005)