Craven: School board changes designed to promote more voter participation

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro City Board of Education, which has consisted of 11 members since 1957, is expected to be reduced to 7 board members this week by the NC Legislature.

In addition, House Bill 58 would turn nonpartisan ACS school board elections into partisan elections.

In what some members said was a surprise move, the issue of reducing the size of the school board was brought before the board on March 13 for a non-binding straw vote. However, board members voted 6-3 against the reduction of members. Two members were absent for the non-binding straw vote.

That action has no authority in the matter, however. Only the NC Legislature can decide on the number of seats on a school board.

Nonetheless, Baxter Hammer, board chair, sent the results of the vote to Randolph County’s members in the General Assembly, including Sen. Dave Craven and Reps. Brian Biggs and Neal Jackson in hopes of influencing the outcome in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Voting for the reduction were Gidget Kidd, Melissa Calloway and Adam Hurley. Those opposed were Phillip Cheek, Linda Cranford, Hilda Decortez, Beth Knott, Michael Smith and Hammer. Absent were co-chair Ryan Patton and Hailey Lee.

The decision to make the changes at the state level without the board’s input or approval has stirred some ill will in the community. And on Sunday, Baxter released a statement on Facebook that went deeper on that point.

“As a member of the Asheboro City Schools Board of Education, I have worked with all 10 board members as well as our qualified and dedicated administrative team to support and advocate for ALL students in Asheboro City Schools,” Baxter wrote. “While knowing that some of our decisions have not come easy nor have they been taken lightly, I take pride in knowing we have worked together and discussed our options, our differences and our core beliefs to collaboratively agree to disagree on many matters BUT to ultimately do what is best for the well being of our students, teachers and staff.

“HB58 was created and ready to be filed before our board was aware of its existence. It certainly goes against the unity of this board and DOES NOT represent the feelings and beliefs of the majority of this board (after a 6-3 vote against this proposal at our last board meeting).  . . .

“The Board of Education should continue to be non-partisan and maintain representation for ALL of our students and their families. One sided political views cannot and will not equally and effectively represent the population of our student body. It is just a sad….sad day for our students and their families when we LET politics of a FEW rule the education of the whole.

“I encourage each of you to reach out to our state legislators, Senator Dave Craven, Representative Neal Jackson and Representative Brian Biggs to voice your beliefs in this matter. The future of our students education is currently in their hands as they prepare for a final vote early this week.”

For his part, Craven told Randolph Hub in an email response, “House Bill 58 introduces several changes in an effort to modernize local governing bodies and increase voter participation. … Currently, the Asheboro City Board of Education has more members than the Wake and Mecklenburg boards — the largest school systems in our state. 

“We want robust participation in our elections. Moving the board elections to even years and making them partisan will help increase participation. The average turnout in the last four even-year elections in Randolph County was 64%. And the average turnout in the last four odd-year elections was only 10%. These changes do not negatively impact the terms of the current elected board members. 

“The Randolph County delegation in the General Assembly worked together on this bill to ensure that the voters would have a greater say in who represents them on the school board. We want to support voters, not entrenched bureaucrats.”

The bill would phase in the reduction over five years. It also mandates that the term of office be cut from six years to four.

The board was set at 11 members with six year terms in 1957 by the passage of SB 50. It’s believed that the expansion of the board members was a way to ensure representation for the Balfour community with the inclusion of Balfour Elementary into Asheboro City Schools. That included the requirement that at least two of the 11 members reside outside the Asheboro limits.

In 1969, HB 282 eliminated the requirement that two members be outside Asheboro. 

HB 939, passed in 1973, set board elections at the same time as municipal elections with the rotation of 4/4/3 election cycle years.

In 1985, SB 132 made the board of education elections nonpartisan and allowed absentee voting.