A Lack Of Democracy In School Board Race?

I have been struggling with the school board election process in Minneapolis. Having participated in it successfully in 2010, I have reflected on my experience in contrast with the current school board race. As we approach the DFL city convention, I am aware of how little the voters in Minneapolis know about the District 6 and District 4 candidates.

The process of endorsing a non-partisan candidate is foreign to me. Moving to Minneapolis in 2008 and failing miserably at the 2010 DFL city endorsement convention, I am just beginning to realize the impact an endorsement has on voters's democratic right to CHOOSE a school board representative at the ballot. If the DFL endorse in Districts' 4 or 6 next Saturday, a competitive race of currently four candidates in District 6 and 3 in District 4 will become an uncontested race because all who seek endorsement and do not succeed must agree to drop out if another candidate is endorsed. In 2010, the DFL was only successful at attaining one city-wide endorsement for two seats, so I was able to run with ten other candidates which created a lot of debate, required a lot of campaigning, and fostered a lot more community discussions around education. The outcome of this was more informed voters who eventually elected two city-wide school board members to represent their voice. Because we had to campaign and connect with voters, I forged countless relationships that still support and inform the work I do.

So how does our community have the much needed debates, conversations, and Q&A's with candidates if there is not truly a race after next week's city convention? I have not figured that out. We have a strong and diverse group of candidates in the District races this year. How exciting would it be to carry on the conversations around the role they would play (if elected) in supporting public education in Minneapolis? How cool would it be if we all went to the polls understanding how each candidate would ensure equitable access to educational opportunities that prepared them for global citizenship? How empowering would it be for voters in November to make a fully informed choice of who represents them?

I vote for that!