|
has been the policy of having boards of
education and on the state level, this is
extremely necessary, and a policy that
should be in the constitution.
The papers talk about educators. Boards
of dedicated people who study education
keep the power in the hands of the people,
and this is not giving it to the educators.
The day of the rubber stamp board is
gone, but educational interests are fighting
a defensive rear-guard action on a state-
by-state basis against a nationwide move-
ment with a well entrenched philosophy.
While we have all been worrying in edu-
cation about the dangers of federal control,
either real or fancied, we have ignored the
possibility that the control of education is
being threatened at the state level. The
advice that is being given to governors, and
I will also say Constitutional Convention
delegates, about the organization of state
governments and about financing state
services is coming primarily from political
scientists and economists, rather than from
people who are greatly interested in edu-
cation.
In the book, THE REORGANIZATION OF
STATE GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
by A. G. Burke, he says,
"Even when managed by able, well-
intentioned men, boards are not alto-
gether satisfactory. They tend to be slow
to act and difficult, if not impossible for
the governor and legislature to super-
vise. Consequently, it becomes one of the
principal tenets of the state reorganiza-
tion movement to replace boards and com-
missions Avith single officials."
The democratic way may often have
meant a slower pace, but in this country,
it produces superior results. Would anyone
suggest that we should sacrifice our democ-
racy for the efficiency of dictatorship? But
why are we so concerned with education,
and why spend such a large proportion of
our budget on schools? It is the child. He
is the heart of the matter. His future is
dear to us. He is the reason we cling to our
traditional belief that the policies and op-
erational management of our public schools
should be in the hands of lay boards of
education, responsive to local needs, fully
endowed with the authority that comes
from a constitutional basis, and these last
words are from Dr. Wayne Reed of the
United States Office of Education.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one min-
ute, Delegate Robie.
|
DELEGATE ROBIE: The constitution
is the place to state the policy of the
State. This was quoted from Mrs. Bothe
yesterday, when she was talking about col-
lective bargaining.
I agree with her on that point, and I say
that the policy of having our schools con-
trolled by lay boards should be in the con-
stitution. Today this concept is being chal-
lenged, and I urge you to join with the
majority of the Committee in our fight to
preserve it.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Lord.
DELEGATE LORD: Mr. Chairman, I
will yield three minutes to Delegate Frank
Robey.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Frank
Robey.
DELEGATE ROBEY: First, as a teach-
er in the State, I would submit that it is
a tough act to follow when you must follow
your boss, as Kathleen Robie certainly is
as a member of the State Board of Edu-
cation.
I would speak and address my comments
to the minority amendment on line 12 and
13, and that is the phrase which says,
"headed by a governing board appointed
by the governor." If not for this phrase I
would not be speaking today for the mi-
nority.
Most of the States of the United States
have a State Board of Education appointed
by the governor, and as Delegate Wheatley
said, almost half of the states of the United
States, not only have a State Board of Edu-
cation appointed by the governor but have
a State Board of Education appointed by
the governor in the constitution.
It is indeed a good practice which now
prevails in most states. By having a State
Board composed of able laymen, they can
and have been free from partisan political
control and can be true representatives of
the will of the people, free from any
allegiance except to us, the citizens of the
State in this vital area. We insure to the
people of this State that education will be
free from the realm of politics.
Secondly, by having this board appointed
by the governor, we have a theory which
is in keeping with the responsibility for
this function in our State government as it
is in the executive branch of the govern-
ment, but shared in part with the legisla-
tive branch. Any other method of selecting
the governing board of members of the
|
