Many parents and residents do not relish bringing a problem to the school board, which sits on an elevated platform, said Gene Shipp, a Columbia resident who chaired a board committee studying board responsiveness. The hottest issue in the Nov. 7 election may be the board itself. During the last year, education advocates have complained that the board is too distant from the electorate and too cozy with the administration. The County Council and legislative delegation have suggested that the board is unresponsive, and a special committee commissioned by the board itself concluded that members must listen better and be less defensive. Gene Shipp, a longtime Columbia resident and chairman of the study committee, said parents complained that the board doesn't want to hear their troubles and envisions itself as more of a partner with the school administration than the public.
Board members say they're sensitive to the complaints and have taken steps to be more responsive.
The arrival of Superintendent John O'Rourke, whose hallmark is his attentive ear, is helping. But candidates, citizens who work with the board and even some board members themselves say there's a long way to go. They do tend to draw together. They circle the wagons. Boards are in the middle.