Enough Already! Run for School Board

Three-sevenths of the Little Rock School Board - Zones 3, 6 and 7 - are up for election on September 18th. Considering that all Zones had to be redrawn based on the 2010 census, all seats should be up, but that's what you get for allowing your legislature to let incumbent school board members determine how you will be represented.

While Zone 3's incumbent, Melanie Fox, will not seek re-election, a highly promising candidate, Leslie Fisken, is running for the position.

Zone 6's incumbent Charles Armstrong is running for state representative. Because school elections are nonpartisan, and therefore aren't affected by Tuesday's primary, Mr. Armstrong has not said whether or not he will also seek re-election to the school board.

Zone 7's incumbent Dianne Curry has not said if she will seek re-election. Considering how she and board members Armstrong, Nellums and Johnson so blatantly attempted to disenfranchise our Hispanic citizens by dividing their neighborhoods among three zones, don't be surprised if one or more students-first Hispanic and/or Hispanic-friendly candidates emerge to challenge the gerrymanderers' artificial majority with purity of purpose and voter turnout.

The important thing to keep in mind is that no incumbent or announced candidate has any more right to the offices than anyone else. Board positions belong to the people. Candidates should run for the position, not against anyone.

With a $340 million annual budget, the Little Rock School District is the largest local government entity in Arkansas, almost doubling the City of Little Rock. And yet, its elections are unconscionably held on a date with no other elections (again, thanks Legislature) and decided by tens at the least and hundreds at the most.

I have yet to meet one person who is satisfied with the Little Rock School District. But still, incumbents regularly breeze to re-election without credible opposition - a challenger or challengers who force a legitimate debate on how to best educate our 25,000 students.

So every year, the people are given a chance to elect two or three leaders who will put students first. Nothing is more important to the future of our community than the delivery of excellent public education.

Please - if you truly will put students first ahead of self-interested adult agendas - Run People Run! Here's how (thanks to the Arkansas School Board Association):

• Visit the county clerk's office to get a packet of material about running for office.

• June 10th is the first day candidates may circulate a petition (available from the Secretary of State's Office). Candidates need 20 signatures of qualified registered voters from his/her district on petition.

• July 3rd is the first day a candidate may file a petition of candidacy (available from the Secretary of State's Office), the political practice pledge, and the affidavit of eligibility with the county clerk.

• July 10th at noon is the deadline for a candidate to file a petition of candidacy, the political practice pledge, and the affidavit of eligibility with the county clerk.

• The election is Tuesday, September 18th.

• If needed, runoff will be held three weeks later.

To run for school board, candidates must:

• be a qualified elector of the school district served whose name has been filed and certified by the county clerk of the county in which the school district is domiciled for administrative purposes;
• be a U.S. citizen;
• be an Arkansas resident;
• be a resident of the district and respective electoral zone if elected from zones;
• not be an employee of the district served;
• not claim the right to vote in another county or state;
• not presently be adjudged mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction;
• never have been convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery, or other infamous crime.

So stop being a critic, and get in the arena. Lives, families, and the present and future of your City desperately hunger for your students-first leadership.


Resources
www.arsba.org
www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections
www.votepulaski.net