Remarks to Parent Group September 2023

September 11, 2023, to School Site Parent Leader Advisory Group, at the district office.

Since you are here as parent representatives, you already know that schools often need volunteers, sometimes need representatives on committees, and sometimes need board members like myself. If you think you might be interested in a committee or board, I’d like to tell you how to go about it.

Not everyone enjoys committees, but if you’re interested, simply tell your site principal, via email or in person, that you are available to serve on any committees where needed, and have him or her pass the word up to the district level. Your name will wind up on a list of people to invite when the time and the need arise. You can refresh this request every year to show your continued interest.

For the school board, every other year brings an election where several board member seats are up for re-election. These seats often go uncontested. For any particular area of Fairfield or Suisun, the cycle is every four years. For information about these, there are two or three places on the school district website where you can see your area and its election cycle, as well as area boundaries and neighborhoods. You might need some help to find these pages. Feel free to email any office employee, and I’m sure they’d get you the links. Or contact any current or former board member you might know and ask them. All of us would be happy to help you.

Lastly, you would need to apply for the elected position when the time comes. I went into the county elections office and asked at the counter, without an appointment, and they gave me the information.and the application form. I believe it does not need to cost you anything to become a candidate and get on the ballot. But if you reach out to any current or former board member you might know, they’re likely to help and advise you. All of our email addresses are on the district web page on current board members. Also reach out to your network of friends.

I would even suggest you contact the current board member of your area where you live and tell of your interest. They might be looking for an opportunity to not seek re-election and endorse someone else, and it could be you if you can make your case. This might sound forward, but I think we admire someone who respectfully shows interest in being on the board, especially when you are a parent of school-aged children and an existing volunteer or committee member.

Once you’re on the ballot, you will probably be contacted by the newspaper for an interview and small feature, and you might get invited to a debate if a community group organizes one. You can campaign as little or as much as you wish, with signs, mailers, door knocking, phone calls, donations, or none of these. Making the required campaign reports can be difficult, so I limited my campaign to no donations and kept my expenses below $2,000, so that I didn’t have to file those reports.

A certain segment of the community, including former board members, will be watching candidates to try to figure out your true motivation for running. They tend to be wary of special-interest candidates, such as those promoted by teachers unions, or anyone with a personal axe to grind. But if you really just want better schools for the most kids, they’ll likely support you, either by endorsement or donations, especially if you are running against a special-interest candidate whose motives are mixed with their group’s agenda.

Serving on the board is more work than status, so if you’re seeking prestige you will probably be disappointed. But if you’re willing to put in the time and just serve, you’ll probably find it rewarding to be closely involved in the policy affairs of the district. If you have a personal stake in the success of the district, with your children in our schools, and you have previously enjoyed serving on a school committee, I hope you’ll consider it.

Thank you for the role you are playing today on this parent advisory committee. When my time on the board is over, I won’t be eligible for this particular committee because my kids are all grown, but I’ll be looking for some other school committee where I could be useful. In a perfect world we all take turns, and I salute you for taking your turn on this parent committee.

Thank you.