During a divisive meeting on May 20, the Orange County School Board voted 3-2 not to recertify its membership in the Virginia School Boards Association, claiming the nonpartisan state organization was consuming resources and leaning too far to the left. policy.
“I’ve seen recordings of them making fun of our governor and anyone who has a conservative point of view,” said board member Darlene Dawson, who referred to the organization as a “monopoly.” “They push for many things that I, on principle, oppose and am not interested in supporting. If you try to disagree with them, they will shut you down. “I’ve seen it happen.”
Headquartered in Charlottesville, the Virginia School Boards Association is comprised of school boards from across the Commonwealth focused on supporting school districts by providing legal, policy and collective bargaining expertise, advocating for members at the state and federal level, and assisting with search for superintendents. Founded in 1906, the agency also offers seminars that allow school board members to complete the training required for their positions.
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Orange County’s decision last week makes it the second Virginia locality to cut ties with the association. Warren County left in September.
Sandy Harrington, an Orange County School Board member who expressed strong disapproval of the board’s ruling, was also displeased with the company the county was going to keep.
“At one point I was asked if the Orange County Public Schools system and board would want to be recognized as a board and system of excellence, like in Fairfax County or Falls Church, or do we want to align ourselves with Warren County?” . Harrington said at the meeting. “I don’t know, apparently it’s possible.”
The petition to leave the school board association was primarily led by board member Chelsea Quintern, who made the motion to bring the discussion to a vote. This alone created discord before real debate could begin, as both board members and the audience assembled on May 20 were confused as to whether Robert’s Rules of Order even allowed discussion of the motion given that It was not listed as an action item. the agenda of the meeting. In the end, the discussion and vote were allowed to continue, much to Harrington’s chagrin.
Quintero
“You can do whatever you want, you have the majority, you tend to do that anyway, but that’s how I feel about it,” he told Quintern.
Quintern, who does not have to run under a party banner but still ran for the school board as a self-proclaimed Republican, expressed concerns regarding the political leanings of the school board association and the types of policies it pushes in the Virginia legislature.
Quintern contradicted himself at the May 20 meeting, stating that he “has not used VSBA resources even once in the last two years,” but that while attending a training session offered through the association “they were not “I liked my opinion and I couldn’t share it.” on certain hot topics.”
Board members do not have to meet their training requirements solely through the school board association; They can attend similar programs offered by other groups, an alternative that many Orange County board members admitted they take advantage of.
Quintern not only said he had faced criticism for his comments at a school board association meeting, but also alleged that the nonpartisan organization had taken the issue to the press.
“I don’t want to spend money on an organization that publishes opinion pieces about individual board members, which actually happened to me,” Quintern said. “I feel like that money could be better spent elsewhere in our school system.”
The op-ed he referenced could not be found on the school board association’s website, but Quintern appears in several local and national news stories about a resolution he presented to the board in April 2022.
In response to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s law requiring all Virginia school districts to notify parents whenever “sexually explicit material” is included in the curriculum, Quintern proposed a similar resolution in Orange. However, it was its very addition to the proposal that sparked a significant public outcry, requiring “schools to notify parents about health care services and their involvement in critical decisions affecting the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their children.” the students; including, among others, self-identification.”
The resolution was ultimately rejected several months later, although the backlash against Quintern continued for some time. An online petition to remove her from the school board garnered more than 1,000 signatures and Orange County High School Class of 2023 valedictorian Solo Mthethwa explicitly called for her resignation, along with two of her colleagues on the board. at that moment. during her graduation speech.
Dawson and board President Melissa Anderson, who joined Quintern in rejecting the motion to renew board membership, shared Quintern’s frustration with the price tag associated with state school board association. According to Anderson’s comments during the discussion, the board pays a membership fee of $8,850 each year, in addition to $3,000 for policy services.
anderson
“My biggest concern is that we are paying a lump sum for the board,” said Anderson, who added that he would prefer to spend money on a lawyer to review its policies, a service currently offered at a fee by the Virginia School Boards Association.
Harrington dismissed his colleague’s concerns about the price of membership, calling his arguments “pretty disingenuous” given that Anderson “walked in here the night the budget was adopted and you ruled out three new positions for about $400,000 without batting an eyelid. “
The Daily Progress contacted the Virginia School Boards Association for comment but did not receive a response.
Aside from Harrington, Jack Rickett was the only other board member to offer a dissenting opinion, noting in his brief comments that the school board partnership ensures that the school district’s policies remain in compliance with Virginia law. While the board could hire lawyers, it probably wouldn’t do much to alleviate the associated cost, Rickett said.
Harrington agreed, saying it would be impossible for board members to fulfill the role of the Virginia School Boards Association, particularly when it comes to governance training and negotiating with state legislators in Richmond.
rickett
“In my opinion, we have challenges simply holding a board meeting; Sometimes it’s not pretty,” he said. “I have a big problem with you eliminating the opportunity for me, as a board member, to receive proper training.”
After nearly a half hour of tense back-and-forth, the majority approved the vote and Orange County will no longer be affiliated with the Virginia School Boards Association as of June 30.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for June 3, where voters will have the opportunity to comment on the recent decision.
“They will do what they want, but I think this is an important step in the wrong direction and I will continue to advocate for proper governance,” Harrington told his fellow board members after the vote. “I think you’re making a biased decision and I don’t support it.”
Emily Hemphill (540) 855-0362
ehemphill@dailyprogress.com
@EmilyHemphill06 in X
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