Kathleen Knight Abowitz In The Conversation 鈥楽chool Boards Long

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kathleen knight abowitz in the conversation 鈥楽chool boards long

The former school board member and scholar of educational leadership sees this shift having the potential to disrupt the important work of nonpartisan school boards in communities across the nation In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries, Kathleen Knight Abowitz, professor of Educational Leadership, writes. “But that long tradition may well be changing – and putting at risk the quality of the country’s education system by introducing divisive national political issues into the process by which a local community... As a former school board member in Ohio and a scholar of educational leadership, Knight Abowitz sees this shift having the potential to disrupt the important work of nonpartisan school boards in communities across... Read her article “School boards, long locally focused and nonpartisan, get dragged into the national political culture wars” in The Conversation (June 3).

I am a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, focusing on educational philosophy and foundations since 1995 at Miami University in Oxford, OH. I publish research in political and moral philosophy of education; have worked in leadership roles in The John Dewey Society, American Educational Studies Association, the North American Philosophy of Education Society and the Ohio... I teach courses in democracy and education, ethics and education, and leadership ethics. I served as an elected school board in Talawanda City Schools from 2019-2023. Copyright © 2010–2025, The Conversation US, Inc. July 13, 2024 | FlaglerLive | 10 Comments

In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries. But that long tradition may well be changing – and putting at risk the quality of the country’s education system by introducing divisive national political issues into the process by which a local community... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); At present, nine states have passed legislation that enables school board races to be partisan. Four states provide for board elections that have partisan affiliations listed on the ballot; another five states permit districts to choose nonpartisan or partisan races. Bills introduced in six states in 2023 would require or permit school board candidates to declare party affiliations on the ballot.

In 2024, lawmakers in Iowa, New Hampshire and Arizona introduced similar bills. Neither Iowa’s nor New Hampshire’s bill has yet been voted on, and Arizona’s bill was vetoed by the governor. Floridians will decide on partisan school board elections at the ballot box in November 2024. The sponsor of the 2023 bill in Ohio, which has not yet passed, said partisan elections provide voters with better “information about candidate platforms.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As a former school board... Sponsors of bills proposing partisan school board elections argue that these changes will result in more voter interest and informed participation in board elections. But research indicates the real effect may be less about public participation and more about partisan conflict.

Posted By: Norhasnima Dimacaling June 4, 2024 by Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Miami University, [This article first appeared in The Conversation, republished with permission] In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries. But that long tradition may well be changing – and putting at risk the quality of the country’s education system by introducing divisive national political issues into the process by which a local community... At present, nine states have passed legislation that enables school board races to be partisan.

Four states provide for board elections that have partisan affiliations listed on the ballot; another five states permit districts to choose nonpartisan or partisan races. Bills introduced in six states in 2023 would require or permit school board candidates to declare party affiliations on the ballot. In 2024, lawmakers in Iowa, New Hampshire and Arizona introduced similar bills. Neither Iowa’s nor New Hampshire’s bill has yet been voted on, and Arizona’s bill was vetoed by the governor. Floridians will decide on partisan school board elections at the ballot box in November 2024.

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The former school board member and scholar of educational leadership sees this shift having the potential to disrupt the important work of nonpartisan school boards in communities across the nation In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries, Kathleen Knight Abowitz, professor of Educational Leadership, writes. “But that long...

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I am a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, focusing on educational philosophy and foundations since 1995 at Miami University in Oxford, OH. I publish research in political and moral philosophy of education; have worked in leadership roles in The John Dewey Society, American Educational Studies Association, the North American Philosophy of Education Society and the Ohio... I teac...

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In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries. But that long tradition may well be changing – and putting at risk the quality of the country’s education system by introducing divisive national political issues into the process by which a local community... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); At present, nine stat...

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Posted By: Norhasnima Dimacaling June 4, 2024 By Kathleen Knight

Posted By: Norhasnima Dimacaling June 4, 2024 by Kathleen Knight Abowitz, Miami University, [This article first appeared in The Conversation, republished with permission] In more than 90% of U.S. public school districts, school board elections are nonpartisan and have been for centuries. But that long tradition may well be changing – and putting at risk the quality of the country’s education syste...