Trustees Have Earned Reelection : County Department of Education Challengers Offer Weak Case

The county Department of Education has many responsibilities to the county’s 27 school districts. It runs schools for youthful offenders and special-education students and provides many support services. Were there not someone doing this, it is likely there would be redundancy and duplicate costs to taxpayers.

The targeting of boards of public education in recent years by extremists aiming to pursue narrow ideological agendas is well documented. This year, the county board, which operates off the radar screen for many constituents, has become the focus of several local campaigns aimed, it seems, at nothing less than the dismantling of this important department. A group called the Education Alliance, which grew out of the failed school voucher initiative three years ago, has targeted the three seats up this year on the county board as if this were some monolithic agency that imposes regulations on unwilling local boards.

Three candidates, James Righeimer in Area 1, Eric H. Woolery in Area 3 and Ken Williams in Area 4, have filed candidate statements that ostensibly target the board for privatization, aim to shrink education bureaucracy, and oppose “federalization” of education. In fact, there does not seem to be much awareness among these challengers of what it is that the board actually does. The appeal seems mostly to be: “Elect me so I can get in there and find out what these people in this terrible bureaucracy do, so I can then take it apart.” Woolery, for example, says he believes that the county board is redundant, but when asked for evidence during a candidate interview was hard pressed to provide examples. The county educational system does not need a wrecking crew on a learning curve.

There are several other candidates besides the incumbents in the field, but they too offer a weak case for change. Accordingly, we endorse the three incumbents.

In Area 1, Felix Rocha Jr. merits a second term. He has developed a close understanding of the board’s work and supports it. In Area 3, incumbent Joan S. Primrose brings to the board the valuable experience of having been a teacher, and close knowledge of programs. In Area 4, businessman Dean McCormick has broad experience and knowledge of educational issues. There may be room for efficiencies or new ways of doing things, but the incumbents are the best choices for the board’s work.