School Board Elections, Strategy #1, Guest: Dave Brown, OR

In today’s episode:

Scholastic's Response to Legislation: Scholastic Corporation is modifying its book fair offerings at public schools due to new legislation targeting age-appropriate content, particularly impacting the availability of LGBTQ+ themed books. The company has been a vocal supporter of PRIDE and LGBTQ+ representation in children's literature. Read More

Dress Code Protest at School Board Meeting: A father demonstrated his protest against a lax school dress code by wearing a crop top and Daisy Dukes to a Higley Unified School District board meeting, highlighting the power of appearance in public testimony. Read More

Community Review Board for Children's Books: In Huntington Beach, a community review board of parents and residents will assess children's books for sexual content, aiming to protect young readers. Read More

The episode focuses on the significance of local school board elections, emphasizing the responsibility of school boards to represent the majority wishes of their communities and create an inclusive learning environment. The host highlights the bureaucracy hindering boards from fulfilling their roles and the need for public involvement, particularly from parents, in shaping school policy.

Past challenges with school boards' lack of control over curriculum decisions and the influence of external experts are discussed, with a critical view of their performance. The host asserts a national effort to limit parental influence in schools, referencing the National Education Association's (NEA) controversial partnerships and curriculum choices against the wishes of various stakeholders.

The episode also covers a specific incident in Newberg, Oregon, where a school board’s decision to limit displayed banners in classrooms led to significant backlash and targeted harassment of board members, highlighting the challenges faced by those seeking to influence school policy.

The host calls for an organized effort to win school board elections and support reform, introducing Dave Brown, a former school board president from Newberg, to share his experiences and insights.

Interview with Dave Brown

In this conversation between Suzanne and Dave, Dave Brown discusses his journey from a career in coaching to serving on a school board. He talks about his initial minority position on the board, where he consistently voted his conscience despite losing every vote. He explains how a shift in the board's composition and the events of the George Floyd protests and COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in their approach.

Dave highlights their decision to pass a policy that removed political flags and banners from classrooms, a move that attracted controversy and opposition. He also discusses the importance of parental involvement and the need for parents to engage in the education system. Dave emphasizes the significance of individuals taking action and getting involved in their local civil government for positive change.