THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503110126
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
The resignation of Jessie Lee Jr. creates another opening on the School Board for City Council to fill. Despite the lip-service that was given to making the selection process more open and deliberative, council members are still not ready to do it right.
The appointment will be made the way it has always been made: The leaders of the council majority will browse through a list of names of available candidates and pick somebody who is due a political attaboy or somebody who knows the right people. That person will get the job.
Citizens will be permitted to make short speeches about their own favorites, but they will have very little impact on the decision.
At no time will will the new appointee be required to stand before the council and the public to answer questions about his or her qualifications, personal philosophy or commitment to quality education, as they will have to do once the voters finally get into the act.
We had hoped that the December's round of School Board appointments would be the last to be brokered outside public view. Dare we hold out hope that this one will be? by CNB