Staff Writer
“The system is broken.”
“There will be a fight...”
These are a few of the messages that have been repeated as the City’s Charter Revision Commission has listened to experts on education, public officials and citizens of Jacksonville as part of its discussion on education reform as it relates to the City’s Charter. Little changed in the discussion as the Commission reached its last meeting before it meets to finalize the non-binding report it will submit to the City Council that will outline changes to the City Charter that the Commission feels will help improve the operation of local government.
One of the issues the Commission has been discussing has been whether or not to recommend the School Board be changed from elected positions to those appointed by the mayor or a hybrid system combining both elected and appointed positions. At the request of the Commission, chair Wyman Duggan developed a list of options to recommend to the Council to affect change in the governance of the Duval County Public Schools.
“I think, from the presentations we’ve had by both School Board members, (school administrators) and invited guests, we have a serious issue,” said Mary O’Brien, vice chair of the Commission. “Whether you want to call it a crisis or not, I think we are close to it if we are not already there.”
O’Brien supported the list of recommended options submitted by Duggan, and those amended during the meeting. The first option detailed changing the School Board from elected positions to those appointed by the mayor and subject to Council confirmation. It was also suggested that the appointees serve on the board without salaries.
A second option would change the current form of governance to a hybrid system, with a majority of School Board members being appointed by the mayor and elected members being elected from at-large residency areas similar to the Council at-large areas.
A third option suggested was to change the seven single-member School Board District to five at-large residency areas similar to those serving the Council.
A fourth option recommended the establishment of charter schools or an appropriate charter school district, under the sponsorship and governance of the City of Jacksonville.
The last option recommended “that the City Council and School Board pursue such remedial legislative action as will further empower school principals with more autonomy in the selection of staff, the improvement of educational instruction and to enhance and reward school performance at the school level.”
Commissioner Geoff Youngblood has voiced opposition to removing the citizen’s rights to directly elect their School Board members and warned the Commission of the repercussions of such a recommendation.
“I am just fearful of the law of unintended consequences and us coming out unanimously to say, ‘let’s do this,’ as a commission when we don’t realize the fight, legally, that we are going to have,” said Youngblood. “Not to mention the public outcry, let alone the opposition that we see currently at City Council.”
Some of the members of the Commission didn’t want fear of litigation or polls to scare them away from, at least, making recommendations to Council.
“We are the starters of the conversation,” said Ali Korman, Commission member. “Our job is to do the research, make a recommendation and go forward to the City Council.”
The Charter Revision Commission is created every 10 years to make recommendations to the Council and the members of the Legislature representing Duval County regarding changes to the City’s Charter. Within eight months from its first meeting it will submit a report detailing any recommendations to Council.
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