School Boards/Very local offices

Tell me if this is true. I met a sharp woman from Alabama this weekend who will go far. Anyway she told me that in her state the Chrisitian Coalition has a representative in every church. And that they took over schoolboards across the state.

Why aren't we doing that?

I've been considering running for the school board of my city for more than a year. Problem is, I'm still looking for a steady job that I can build a stable life around, and it's looking more and more like I won't be able to find one anytime soon, unfortunately. Still, I am going to become more involved with the local Democratic Party, even if it just means helping out at events. Anyone else want to join me?

If we're going to beat the Republicans back into submission, Progressive Democrats MUST organize and launch a grassroots campaign aimed at taking Ward/City Council and School Board seats. From there, we can develop a crop of candidates to take back State and Federal Government offices. The progressive/liberal wing of the Democratic Party must take back control of the reigns from the centrists and lead the charge to take our nation back to the future.

I think that we do need to aim our sights at very local offices first and then work from there.

They are usually the easiest seats to win, especially in small towns.

Why aren't we doing that?

Beats me, we ought to.

I think we should start joining PTAs and other local groups to get our foot in the door.

I do not think school boards should be politicized. School boards should be about effectively administering the funding of schools, hiring good teachers and insuring the school district is providing a good education for its young people. Above all, school boards should set policy that the role of schools is to teach citizenship, intellectual curiousity and free thinking.

Unfortunately, the radical religious right has decided to use school boards to push their political and social agenda. Where they sping up they should be challenged.

But I do not think we should be in the business of taking over school boards to promote our political beliefs. I do not want their beliefs forced on my children, and I do not want to force my beliefs on theirs.

The right has politicized school boards for years. And unfortunately I think we need to fight them hand in hand on that level.

These very local offices are often the backbench for higher level positions like city and county council. These, in turn, can lead to offices like State Rep and State Senate, which then can parlay into Congress and statewide offices.

This has been the CC strategy for taking control of our government. Part of their logic was that it would be easier to get their people started in local governments and school boards and then they could work their up.

Considering that now the current pResident considers himself a born-again fundie and at least half of the WH has been hand picked by Pat Robertson, I would say their strategy was a huge success.

And I think we could learn something there.