(Sent to all members of the Arkansas House of Representatives on 3.8.11)
As the father of two third graders in the Little Rock School District, son of a superintendent and guidance counselor, and brother to teachers in both urban and rural school districts, I write to you collectively seeking your individual co-sponsorship, support or neutrality on HB 2140, a shell bill filed by Representative Barry Hyde, with support from Speaker Pro Tempore Bobby Pierce.
Entitled "AN ACT TO AMEND THE PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ELECTION OF SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FROM ZONES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," the bill will provide for: 1) recall of school board members, 2) changing of school elections from September to the higher voter turnout primary in March, and 3) empowerment of citizens, not incumbent boards, to determine, by election, what type of zone representation their district will have (Arkansas law, in compliance with the Voting Rights Act, offers three choices for zoned districts, those with 10% or more minority population - five zones, seven zones, or five zones and two at-large).
I also write knowing some of you will be opposed to these measures. In the spirit of the sunshine this bill intends, I respectfully ask that if you are opposed, you will share your concerns with me so we may address them publicly. I am the product of public schools in Mountain Home, Fayetteville and Lebanon, MO. Six years ago, I returned to my native Arkansas after 17 years in New York City and Los Angeles for a better life for my children. They are now in their third school in the Little Rock School District.
Unfortunately, I returned to find most of our citizens and parents almost completely disengaged and disenfranchised from the governance of their public schools. In the last Little Rock School District election, only 1.6% of registered voters cast ballots, compared with 49% two months later in the general.
Further, unlike other elected officials (including you), there is no provision for recall of ineffective school board members.
Finally, current law only allows incumbent school board members to determine how the people will be represented in the governance of their zoned school districts. In Little Rock's case, that determination was made by the board in the mid-1990s and the system remains today, unchecked and unbalanced.
This deliberate and systematic disenfranchisement has created and perpetuated a system which is dominated by professional self-interest groups which simply do not put students first. In all candor, that's not their job. Their job is to put their members first.
While you and your colleagues should vigorously debate these proposals with each other, I would encourage any interest group representatives working to oppose the bill to publicly debate its merits with us in any forum at any location at any time. HB 2140 will be bipartisan, good government, fiscally responsible legislation, and I strongly urge you to contact Representative Hyde with your co-sponsorship and/ or support.
No matter where you stand on the proposed citizen and parent empowerment, we welcome your thoughts and look forward to working with you to put students first in our public schools. The Governor says it best: Education and economic development are inseparable. HB 2140 will help put us on track to be world-class in both.
Sincerely,
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