Turnover at the Board of Ed

The Board of Ed's reorganization meeting last week brought change, not only through the installation of newly elected members Margot Embree Fisher and Sebastian Rodriguez, but also through a new leadership slate for the body. With the help of Fisher and Rodriguez, Dr. Henry Pruitt and Dr. Ardie Walser displaced Judith McKay and Dr. David Diuguid as president and vice president, respectively. The 5-4 vote broke entirely along tenure lines, with the five newest trustees overruling the wishes of the four longtime members to maintain the status quo. Does this signal a new direction for the BoE?

While there were a few hints here and there during the campaign that certain of the candidates had made common cause with one another and that existing members clearly preferred that incumbent Barbara Ostroth win reelection, it was not readily apparent to most voters exactly what was at stake. Those who carefully examined the pattern of endorsements and the names listed in various campaign adds might have deduced something about the preferences of certain insiders. However, as there was no overt call by the victorious candidates for a refocusing of priorities or a new direction on the school board, it is as yet unclear to us outsiders whether a new faction has formed or whether the majority now held by newer members signifies much of anything for the future.

In the aftermath of a bland campaign that granted the victors no clear mandate to do much of anything, it remains to be seen whether the imprint left on the Board leadership by the newer members will translate into bold new steps on the policy side. At this point, the only thing we can be certain of is that a few different names will grace the glossy newsletters in our mailboxes.