Partisan elections for education boards move forward

A bill that would require members of the State Board of Education and local boards of education to be elected in partisan elections was approved in a 4-2 vote by the Senate Education committee despite opposition from education leaders.

The measure would result in political parties recruiting more candidates for school board races, but the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo said the intent is not to make boards partisan but to encourage participation.

Currently for the state board election the governor picks who goes on the ballot from a list recommended by nominating committees. Local board candidates simply file for candidacy.

But state education leaders and school board members say education leadership is no place for politics.

"Education is not partisan, our kids are not partisan, our schools are not partisan and we need to represent those nonpartisan single students in our district — this is not a political thing, it should be an educational thing," said Tamara Lowe, a member of the Davis Board of Education.

Debbie Swenson, a Nebo School District board member, said there are other ways to encourage candidates to run, through more publicity about filing dates and public information announcements.

But Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, said lawmakers have yet to find an adequate process and called the measure "a wonderful step forward."

The committee also approved SJR11, a resolution sponsored by Bell that would require the state superintendent of public instruction to be appointed by the governor, with the consent of the Senate, rather than by the State Board of Education.

Kim Burningham, chairman of the state school board, said the resolution brings partisan elements into the selection of superintendent appointments and called the measure "unwise."

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