Another Reason to Elect the School Board

Once the convention is over and the delegates make their choice, the jockeying begins:

Three weeks after the county nominating convention chose a White House attorney from Millersville to join the eight-member board, the runner-up from Crofton is saying he's a better fit because he has children who graduated from public schools and he lives in a rapidly changing area of the county that needs a representative....

Supporters of Mr. Frank are lobbying. State Sen. Janet Greenip, and County Councilman Ed Reilly, both Crofton Republicans, have sent letters to Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. endorsing Mr. Frank.

Letters and e-mails are circulating to county elected officials.

Unfortunately, this has become a byproduct of the current selection process. Don't get me wrong; I too have sent letters to the Governor supporting the appointment of particular candidates (Tricia Johnson in 2003 and Mike Leahy in 2004). And that is not to say, given the dynamics of the current system, that this kind of activity is a bad thing. But with the exception of occasional stories like this one in the Capital, nobody ever talks too much about all of the letters and lobbying that goes on in support of candidates for the seat.

The only way to truly bring the politicking for School Board seats out into the open is to have a truly elected school board.