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Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Metro VIEWS: The Orange Unified Trustee Area Boundary Debate
Metro VIEWS _____________:GoCo:
Giving Voice to the Greater Orange Communities
Views from Dr. Fred Smoller
On Thursday night (12/13) the Orange Unified School district will consider three alternatives for realigning district boundaries. It is unfortunate that they are not considering eliminating district boundaries altogether. I would like to see some empirical evidence that school districts that have boundary requirements are more efficient, less polarized, and distribute resources more equitably than districts that do not. Instead, there is is ample evidence that the district faces a more serious problem: the recruitment of qualified candidates—as evidenced by the election of Steve Rocco.
There are few incentives for serving on the school board. And plenty of disincentives, including low pay, long hours, abuse from the community, etc. On top of this, we have a requirement that potential school board members live in a specific area (but run in a district wide election). We do not have this requirement for City Council and I do not the City of Orange has been ill-served as a result. To increase the potential pool of talent, the school board should at least debate dropping boundaries altogether.
Dr. Fred Smoller is a political science professor at Chapman University and a local community activist. Smoller is working on a documentary about the election and tenure of controversial OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco.
Metro VIEWS is an open forum to express viewpoints on local Greater Orange issues.
Views expressed in Metro VIEWS are not necessarily the views of the NETWORKS that ECAST or post them.
GreaterOrangeCO@gmail.com
Orange Communication System /OCS/
Views expressed in Metro VIEWS are not necessarily the views of the NETWORKS that ECAST or post them.
: Greater Orange Communities Organization:
:GoCo:
Giving Voice to the Greater Orange Communities
Views from Dr. Fred Smoller
On Thursday night (12/13) the Orange Unified School district will consider three alternatives for realigning district boundaries. It is unfortunate that they are not considering eliminating district boundaries altogether. I would like to see some empirical evidence that school districts that have boundary requirements are more efficient, less polarized, and distribute resources more equitably than districts that do not. Instead, there is is ample evidence that the district faces a more serious problem: the recruitment of qualified candidates—as evidenced by the election of Steve Rocco.
There are few incentives for serving on the school board. And plenty of disincentives, including low pay, long hours, abuse from the community, etc. On top of this, we have a requirement that potential school board members live in a specific area (but run in a district wide election). We do not have this requirement for City Council and I do not the City of Orange has been ill-served as a result. To increase the potential pool of talent, the school board should at least debate dropping boundaries altogether.
Dr. Fred Smoller is a political science professor at Chapman University and a local community activist. Smoller is working on a documentary about the election and tenure of controversial OUSD Trustee Steve Rocco.
Metro VIEWS is an open forum to express viewpoints on local Greater Orange issues.
Views expressed in Metro VIEWS are not necessarily the views of the NETWORKS that ECAST or post them.
GreaterOrangeCO@gmail.com
Orange Communication System /OCS/
Views expressed in Metro VIEWS are not necessarily the views of the NETWORKS that ECAST or post them.
: Greater Orange Communities Organization:
:GoCo:
