Read on Twitter
#RPSboard is a political body, one with a lot of decision making authority & power to affect the lives of tens of thousands of Richmonders. Why would recently (re)elected members not maintain their commitments/positions when they take office? 1/ https://twitter.com/vcusoe/status/1330613327215595522
I read this column as an unsubtle message about politics--not about decorum or collegiality. To me the author seems interested in de-politicizing #RPSboard, which is already de-politicized to the advantage of corporate/moneyed interests, edu. reformers, & the already powerful. 2/
Just like in Congress, political leaders/electeds who represent people's desire for structural change & material progress & stronger public institutions have a duty to maintain the political commitments that led people to vote for them. 3/
Abandoning politics/use of power in the name of "bipartisanship" or "collegiality" or "norms" is exactly why people dislike our inneffective Congress & why conservatives are constantly out-strategizing dems and even progressives. 4/
No one I know elected to #RPSboard is stepping into power & service out of a desire for conflict-for-conflict's-sake or self-aggrandizement, and I think it's disrespectful to them and voters to suggest their campaigns were "'me' propositions." 5/
If "the very skills that win candidates school board seats often are the same skills to de-emphasize as a board member," does that mean a coalition for teacher empowerment & fully-funded community schools built in part through campaigns should be abandoned after swearing in? 6/
Don't electeds have a duty to build power to deliver on the promises & commitments they ran on? I'm all for a discussion on strategy for doing this, but suggesting people have to forfeit their political commitments/projects/relationships to govern is unwise & anti-democratic. 7/
The campaigns I supported were not "by their very nature...'me' propositions." In fact, the campaigns I admired (and that won) were about #RPSboard functioning in coalition with students, parents and teachers to ensure decisions that benefit all are made. 8/8
