Mike Mathias, blogger and friend of this blog, is running for school board in Milwaukee against Charlene Hardin. He has an op-ed in tomorrow's
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel arguing
elections are not the problem of MPS.
Don't get me wrong: Every good idea for fixing MPS ought to be on the table, including lifting the residency rule for MPS teachers, adopting a uniform curriculum and increasing state aid for special education students.
But an appointed board would just exchange one political process for another - and could have the effect of leaving voters with little recourse if they don't like actions taken by the new body.
I respect Barrett and agree that MPS is in need of reform. But we shouldn't let a few bad apples on the board serve as an excuse for abandoning direct elections. Let voters sort it out.
