MYTHS ABOUT AN ELECTED BOARD OF ED
DIVERSITY
MYTH: Only the mayor can ensure that the Board is diverse. Districts with elected Board members have noted that a small percentage, about 15%,
of registered voters vote for Board members. Therefore, a low turnout at the polls in Montclair will result in a homogeneous Board.
FACT: Although mayoral appointments might have been a necessity at one point to ensure diverse representation, today, Montclair is a community that strives to elect individuals based upon merit, not skin color, gender, or ethnic background. That the largest proportion of votes during the last Council election went to Roger Terry, and that Montclair voters demonstrated overwhelming support (over 83%) for Obama at the polls, evidences a voting track record which is NOT based on skin color.
FACT: Although mayoral appointments might have been a necessity at one point to ensure diverse representation, today, Montclair is a community that strives to elect individuals based upon merit, not skin color, gender, or ethnic background. That the largest proportion of votes during the last Council election went to Roger Terry, and that Montclair voters demonstrated overwhelming support (over 83%) for Obama at the polls, evidences a voting track record which is NOT based on skin color.
TAXES
MYTH: People who are in favor of an elected Board only care about cutting taxes, not funding educational excellence.
FACT: Believing in the democratic process is not synonymous with a mission to slash taxes at the expense of our children's education. It is unfair to assume that parents who support an elected Board are any less interested in striving for high quality education than those who support an appointed Board.
FACT: Believing in the democratic process is not synonymous with a mission to slash taxes at the expense of our children's education. It is unfair to assume that parents who support an elected Board are any less interested in striving for high quality education than those who support an appointed Board.
QUALITY OF EDUCATION
MYTH: Deviating from an appointed Board system would compromise the quality of education in Montclair.
FACT: Montclair places a high priority on the quality of our children's education. The research is clear on this...neither an elected nor an appointed Board categorically influences student performance (for better or worse). Some studies have found that student performance has increased in response to mayoral-appointments of Board members ONLY in very large, urban districts. The two other districts in Essex County with mayor-appointed Boards are East Orange and Orange, neither of which resemble Montclair in any way.
FACT: Montclair places a high priority on the quality of our children's education. The research is clear on this...neither an elected nor an appointed Board categorically influences student performance (for better or worse). Some studies have found that student performance has increased in response to mayoral-appointments of Board members ONLY in very large, urban districts. The two other districts in Essex County with mayor-appointed Boards are East Orange and Orange, neither of which resemble Montclair in any way.
ACCOUNTABILITY
MYTH: Since the mayor appoints Board members, voters can hold him/her accountable for the Board’s actions. If voters are unhappy with the
Board, they can opt to not re-elect the mayor.
FACT: One would need to delve far into Montclair's political history to find the last mayor that served two terms. Montclair mayors either don’t run for a second term or run, but don’t get re-elected, which suggests that not re-electing the mayor is NOT much of a threat.
FACT: One would need to delve far into Montclair's political history to find the last mayor that served two terms. Montclair mayors either don’t run for a second term or run, but don’t get re-elected, which suggests that not re-electing the mayor is NOT much of a threat.
MAGNET SCHOOL SYSTEM
MYTH: An elected board would roll back our progress and go back to neighborhood schools.
FACT: Montclair is still under a court order met by the Magnet system. An elected board has no more power, or the will, than an appointed board to change that. The Supreme Court ruling in 2008 related to a very different set of circumstances that do not apply in Montclair.
FACT: Montclair is still under a court order met by the Magnet system. An elected board has no more power, or the will, than an appointed board to change that. The Supreme Court ruling in 2008 related to a very different set of circumstances that do not apply in Montclair.