The Metro: More than 20 candidates running for 3 open school board seats in Detroit
Mario Morrow, a political analyst and former educator and school administrator in Detroit, joined the show to discuss the importance of the race.
There will be 22 candidates on the ballot in November vying to fill three open seats on the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education.
Chalkbeat Detroit reported this week that two new people will join the board, after two current members did not seek reelection. But there are familiar faces running as well, Chalkbeat reports, including two former school board members, a handful of people who have sought to join the board in the past, and teachers who have been frequent critics of the district.
Mario Morrow, a political analyst and former educator, administrator and assistant superintendent in Detroit, joined The Metro on Wednesday to share why he says this election is so important and what it can tell us about the politics of public education.
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Morrow says there are several different reasons why one might want a position on the school board.
“They are very dedicated to education, they want to see the district move in the right direction. Or maybe they’re using this as a stepping stone for another political career. Or just maybe they just want to get paid,” Morrow said. “It is a paying position now, and you can get a stipend. I think it’s $250 a meeting, which is about $75,000 a year. It’s not a bad gig to have.”
No matter the reason for running, the candidates have several responsibilities to fulfill if elected as a school board member.
“The two main responsibilities is, No. 1, hiring and firing of the superintendent. And No. 2, creating and making sure that policy is followed within the district,” Morrow said.
Morrow says school board candidates don’t have to have any educational experience, but rather, just show a dedication to working with the administration and community. He spoke about Mother Moore, a longtime social justice activist and centenarian in Detroit, who — despite her age — has been very involved at school board meetings, and how she is a prime example of what a school board member should be.
“I wish school board members, these 20 plus candidates, would take a page or a chapter out of her book to make sure that they do the right thing if they’re elected,” Morrow said.
Strong leadership in the district is key as they aim to address its many ongoing challenges such as “chronic absenteeism,” of which Michigan has some of the most abysmal rates in the nation.
In order for the district to improve, school board members need to have the “dedication, commitment and knowledge base” to make a positive change, Morrow said.
Use the media player above to hear the full interview with Morrow.
More headlines from The Metro on July 31st:
- The last few weeks have been a wild time in politics. Dennis Darnoi, a Republican strategist and owner of Densar Consulting in Farmington Hills, joined The Metro to discuss how Michigan voters are handling this election cycle.
- The 9th annual “Aging Matters Education and Expo” is taking place this Thursday at the Fellowship Chapel in Detroit. Its goal is to empower aging adults to live their golden years a little brighter. Bernadette Hudgins, one of the event’s organizers, joined the show to talk about what resources they have to offer.
- After being an underground cultural touchstone for decades, break dancing is now out in the open as an official Olympic sport. Break dancing began in the late ’60s and early ’70s in the Bronx. And as the dance spread nationwide, Detroit and other cities added their own regional flare. To discuss break dancing and the stamp Detroit placed on it, Detroit freelance journalist Kahn Santori Davison joined The Metro.
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