by William L. Coale, Ph.D.

Public boards of all kinds are under tremendous pressure of late, due to the shrinking resources that they must try to allocate in a manner to continue to provide the highest level of service possible. Understandably, citizens react negatively when service levels decline or evaporate entirely. In spite of this, the elected officials responsible for the belt-tightening usually continue to do everything in their power to fulfill the mission of their organization.

Unfortunately, one group appears to suffer very different treatment by the taxpayers—numerous Michigan school board members have faced threats of recall based upon the way they voted on a particular issue.  According to a recent news account, two school board members are facing recall for “…violating public trust, not listening to the public and serving anti-union interests…”. I’m not entirely sure what exactly is entailed in the concept of “public trust”, but boards are required by statute to “listen” to the public via the requisite public comments portion of every school board agenda.  “Listen” does not necessarily mean a board should act according to those loud voices’ wishes, however.  Keeping in mind the number of political contests that have been decided only after protracted recounts and court challenges, one could posit that the “public” is often split 50-50. How can a board member be held accountable on their individual voting record in a world where half the people will be upset regardless of the vote cast?  Additionally, if one were to invert the final charge and apply logic, one must conclude that “serving PRO-union interests” must be the appropriate behavior of a school board.  Boards must operate within the law, and unless they veer outside the legal boundaries, they should not be open to the threat of recall or union coercion.

It is no secret that when school boards “take on” unions, the unions employ time-tested tactics to apply pressure to those boards, in an attempt to try to move them off-mission (that of providing an excellent education to our students).  Recall efforts are one of the tactics employed.  The article goes on to say: “The wording on the (recall) petition language does not have to be true(emphasis added), just clear, according to the clerk’s office.”  It is unconscionable that school board members be held hostage by our current recall laws…laws that put ethical, dedicated, mission-focused school board members at risk for doing the right, albeit painful things that are necessary during this time of tremendous fiscal stress.  Former state superintendent Tom Watkins ably defined the mission-critical question as, “how does this (decision) help teachers teach and children learn?”  School board members should use this yardstick for every issue they deliberate. 

If boards fail to lead courageously, and negotiate contracts that they simply cannot afford (and this has indeed happened), then our K-12 educational system is at horrendous risk.  Don’t get me wrong…teachers are incredibly valued...none of us would be where we are today without them.  Unfortunately, at this time and place, we must stop, take a deep breath, and bite the proverbial bullet.

The solution I propose is simple.  Shore up the statutory language to allow public board members to be recalled only for misfeasance or malfeasance in office…period.  Otherwise, the public should exercise their voting rights in a subsequent regular election.  If we fail to do this, we will continue to see inappropriate and agenda-driven recall elections that will drive excellent board members from public service, or deter potential public servants from running for office.  Our students and our great state will suffer as a result. 

Dr. William Coale is a veteran Michigan teacher, retired school superintendent, and former school board member who works as an educational consultant.  He can be reached at wmcoale@comcast.net.