House Republicans are advancing a measure in the West Virginia legislature that would make a local school board candidate’s political party more significant in their campaign.
House Joint Resolution 106 would give voters the option of removing from the state Constitution “the requirement that elections for local school board members be nonpartisan.” The resolution needs the approval of two-thirds of the members of the House and Senate before being placed before voters.
The House Education Committee passed the resolution on a voice vote last week, with Delegate Todd Longanacre (R, Greenbrier) arguing in support. “I would like to know what the political leanings… and the ideologies are of our school board members,” he said.
The argument is that party affiliation does say something about a person’s philosophy. On a practical level, voters may know little or nothing about a school board candidate’s position on issues, but party affiliation at least gives them something to go on.
Delegate Cody Thompson (D, Randolph), who is a school teacher, argued that party identification will make school board elections more political. “I just don’t agree with making these decision-makers at the local level more partisan and drawing in more controversy than is needed.”
Party identification could serve to nationalize what is traditionally a local election. Voters may assign values to partisan candidates that have little or nothing to do with whether the buses run on time or where to build a new elementary school.
The Republican push for the change is linking to the parental rights movement in the country, highlighted by the election of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin in Virginia. He campaigned on giving parents more say in their children’s education.
One aspect of the effort is the push for partisan election of board members, especially in states where Republicans hold majorities. As Politico reported, “Prominent conservative groups have called this year for major shifts in the timing of board elections and for voters to see party labels on their school board ballots.”
This represents a significant shift among Republicans in West Virginia. For years, the GOP fought for non-partisan election of judges. Finally in 2015 the Legislature changed the law, taking party affiliation out of the races for Supreme Court, circuit court, family court and magistrate court.
Every Republican in the Senate and House voted for the legislation. As then-House Speaker Tim Armstead said at the time, “There really doesn’t need to be partisan politics in the election of our judges.”
Why would Republicans see the historically nonpartisan school board races differently today?
Disputes between parents and school board members in West Virginia happen all the time. Education is a personal issue and emotions often run high. There is no need to complicate matters further by adding even more politics to the mix, especially when the partisanship meter in this country is already in the red.