Tim Boyd at Pachyderm
County Commissioner Tim Boyd on Monday told members of the Pachyderm Club that he favors partisan school board elections.
He said, "I want to know the political philosophies of school board members before they get on there. Too often we vote people in and they wind up voting far to the left."
Commissioner Boyd also hit the performance of the county schools, saying they had spent too much time on "equity" issues "rather than teaching kids to read."
He said there was "much hoopla" earlier about the number of county schools reaching Level 5 in the TVASS system. He said TVASS is a flawed system that many others don't use.
The speaker said a number of schools who made Level 5 had very low literacy levels despite some schools spending over $12,000 per student. He said, "If a student can't read by the third grade, they are never going to catch up."
He also said the county schools touted an increased graduation rate, but he said he finds that county school students are not prepared to go into the workforce. "I can't hire them" because of low reading levels. He said that is "disturbing."
He said the school system stance was "we don't care if they know anything, we just want to graduate them."
Commissioner Boyd said the county schools has spent tens of thousands on PR boosting Level 5 improvements rather than focusing on "teaching children to read."
Arch Trimble, president of the Hamilton County Republican Party, said members of the party "overwhelmingly" favor partisan school board elections.
He said the party plans to ask the election office to hold a primary election for school board next year.
Mr. Trimble said he had "no idea" if the Democratic Party would also seek a primary.
The partisan school board elections were authorized by a bill passed during a recent special legislative session and signed into law by Governor Bill Lee.