Election of School Superintendent:  A Bad Idea

ã Dr. Gary D. Lemmons, February 4, 2007

Georgia House of Representatives member, Clay Cox (R-Lilburn) is sponsoring House Bill 14 that would provide for the election of local school superintendents around the state.  At first glance, this seems to be a good idea.  The notion of making the highest official in the local school system accountable to the voters smacks of true republicanism.  Moreover, it gives those irate parents the opportunity to work and vote against the culprit who didn’t allow “little Johnny” to avoid suspension after he questioned the legitimacy of the birth of his English teacher in front of the class.  Additionally, it provides the opportunity for community members to reign-in those school superintendents with wild ideas such as... American students ought to be able to compete with students from industrially and technologically developed nations abroad even if it means spending additional tax monies.

The fact of the matter is that this would be a horrible idea.

Public school superintendents, in the post-modern, 21 Century world, do not have time to be politicians.  If they were required to run for the office for two, four, or even six year terms, they would be required to spend an inordinate amount of time campaigning and, more distressing, raising money for their campaigns.

Politicians, as a general rule, must be 10% substance and 90% guano.  Good school superintendent have enough guano to deal with while contending with No Child Left Behind and other educational initiatives by such "reformed drunks" as Teddy Kennedy and Georgie Bush.

School superintendents were elected in many school systems throughout this state prior to 1992.  In that year by a constitutional amendment passed by the voters of Georgia, the office became an appointed one.  The appointments are made according to the dictates of negotiated contracts by and with local boards of education.

That brings up another point that essential in the notion of republican governance of schools.

The citizens of the various communities elect the local school board members.  These board members then hire the superintendents.  It is through the members of the local boards of education that we, as citizens, should make our feelings known.  It is through them, our public servants, that we, as the general public, should hold superintendents, administrators, teachers, and other school employees accountable.

In this day and age of No Child Left Behind and other reforms in public schools (idiotic or rational), the school superintendent should devote all of her or his time to the business of facilitating the best operation of the school system…not running for office.

Incidentally, Representative Cox is from Gwinnett County…you know… the county that gave us Jennifer Wilbanks – the “Runaway Bride” --, Lisa Ann Taylor -- the “Sugarloaf Call Girl” --, and Danny Porter – the “Prosecutors’ Prosecutor.”  They have some strange “birds” in Gwinnett!