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VSBA President Peter Herman’s Speech to Conference Attendees
I am pleased that the education leadership from the Legislature and the State Board is here, but let me forego all the usual stuff about the importance of school boards, of public education, of citizen leadership, of preparing our kids for the 21st century - you all know that at least as well as I do and speak a bit about what I hope to help VSBA accomplish in the next two years, or at least get started.
First, I’m sure we’d all agree that public schools could be better than they are and that we as school leaders could do a better job for our kids. And that maybe we could do it for less money as well if we got really creative. However please bear with me because I am very angry, partly because of substance, but more about the attitudes we experience in the state. I am tired of hearing from leadership at the state level (both branches and both major parties) that we are the education establishment, the source of the state’s financial problems, that we are unconcerned about the cost of education, that we are not to be trusted with the public purse, and that people in Montpelier, many of whom have no idea about what goes on in public schools and don’t seem to care to learn, must protect Vermonters from us and from themselves as well.
Vermonters are constantly bombarded by admonitions to vote down school budgets, vote out school directors, cut teaching staff, match the numbers in some other states while our students are demonstrating in national tests and by other means that we are not doing all that bad. We want and expect full support for local school leadership from the State Board and the Commissioner, and at least a fair hearing from the Executive and the Legislature. What we get is ignored at best and, more often, insulted. I intend to see that VSBA and all its members take this challenge on directly, fighting lies and half-truths with good information and a determination to let the public know what’s really going on. So make no mistake whatever your position on Act 68, Act 82, mandates from the legislature or your political philosophy, as school board members you are under attack. Per the Commissioners remarks yesterday, we will urge the Governor and the Legislature to work with us to make Vermont schools truly excellent at a reasonable price, but if they want a fight, we’ll oblige them. In order to do either effectively, we need to mobilize school boards and individual members, and I will make that priority number one.
Second, much is going on in a number of arenas, often led by your association, to improve our schools through reorganization, consolidation, better and more consistent leadership, and increased collaboration. While I personally support many of these efforts and am involved with a number of them, I think we need to think more boldly about how education is delivered and what we expect from our kids as educated adults. This may mean dramatic changes in our schools and perhaps a complete makeover of some models that have served us well in the past but are not up to the challenges of the next decade, much less the next century. And in doing this we may well follow our students who are already learning and teaching in creative ways that we and our schools have not yet caught up with. I don’t know what this will or should look like, but I will urge VSBA to sponsor conversations involving all interested parties on these topics and to support innovative approaches in our local schools. This may also mean that the Legislature and the Dept of Education may have to relax their grip and let local school districts experiment broadly.
Finally, we as school board members must be careful not to become roadblocks to progress, even when it threatens our current operations or our current role. Too often it seems that ideas are thrown against the wall and whatever sticks becomes law or regulation. We have a obligation to hold the feet of those who propose change to the fire, but also to respond objectively to these proposals, supporting them where they help us achieve our primary goal, effective learning by our kids.
As always, the challenges are great and we will be calling more than ever on you as VSBA members and as citizens committed to first-rate education to put your time and effort into activities that improve public education. Thank you.
Herman’s two-year term as Association President commenced this month.
