Thanks to Derek for a very thoughtful response to my email and, even
better, one that brought some new facts to the discussion. He's gone
a long way to convincing me...
>>>>> "DBR" == Derek Burrows Reise <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
[...snip...]
Derek points out that it would be hard to get the bad outcome that
worried me:
DBR> With the restructuring proposal for the school board,
DBR> we're talking about Minneapolis being carved into 6
DBR> districts. That's over 60,000 people per district.
DBR> Compare that to the 13 city wards, 10.5 state house
DBR> districts, and 6 park board districts. That's a
DBR> pretty sizeable plot of land for a single interest to
DBR> control due to political non-participation.
DBR> While there is a disparity in voter turnout in
DBR> Minneapolis (in 2004 Ward 6 had a 58% turnout (the
DBR> lowest) and Ward 13 had an 81% turnout (the highest)),
DBR> I don't think that's at the level that gives a citizen
DBR> in one district a significant amount of more power
DBR> than in another district.
[...snip...]
DBR> One of the current board members responded to me that
DBR> the board exists for all Minneapolis school children
DBR> and therefore it is important to be elected citywide,
DBR> versus a neighborhood. But I think in practice that
DBR> means we elect folks to 4 year terms, and the office
DBR> is far enough down-ballot, and the power of party
DBR> endorsement and incumbancy is strong enough, that they
DBR> are accountable to no one.
This is a very good point, that the terms might be too long to keep
the board members accountable. I'm not so convinced that endorsement
is huge, but incumbency would be a big one. Does anyone know the
typical number of terms school board members serve, historically?
Best,
R
--
Robert P. Goldman
ECCO
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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