School board recognition week

Karen Haase khaase@ksbschoollaw.com @KarenHaase

Steve Williams swilliams@ksbschoollaw.com @SteveisEsteban

Bobby Truhe btruhe@ksbschoollaw.com @btruhe

School Board Recognition Week: Thank God for Idiots If you google “quotes about school boards� the first several hits are a variation of this statement by Mark Twain:

As attorneys who dedicate our professional lives to representing school districts and boards of education, we have always been irritated by this witticism. It validates the misconceptions held by members of the public who really have no idea what the school board does or how difficult it can be.

However, the more we think about it, the more we think that Mark Twain is on to something. School board members just might be one step beyond idiocy. Consider: Cornhusker Plaza 301 S. 13th St., Suite 210 Lincoln, NE 68508

P: (402) 804-8000 F: (402) 804-8002 KSBSchoolLaw.com

1. Only an idiot would run for a position where you have to give up hours of evening and weekend time away from your family to dedicate yourself to (boring) meetings where no one cares about what you do—until you make a decision that they don’t like and then the whole town shows up to yell at you. School board members run anyway.

2. Only an idiot would agree to work on a school budget: at church on Sunday the person to the left of you is a farmer who is mad because his taxes are too high, and to the right of you is a teacher who is mad at you because her salary is too low. School board members work anyway.

3. Only an idiot would answer the phone when you know there is a good chance that the caller is (a) some parent who is upset that his kid got kicked out of National Honor Society for cheating on a test; (b) some bus driver upset that she got suspended from her job because she got a DUI; (c) a school board member from a neighboring district who is mad because of what your school’s student section chanted at last night’s game; (d) a Saturday morning quarterback who knows that you would have won Friday night if coach would just run the ball and blitz more—probably time to “fire” that coach; or (e) all of the above. School board members answer anyway.

4. Only an idiot would serve in a position that places you in charge of a school, when “local control” really means you are the one who gets blamed for implementing the rules of the Nebraska Department of Education, the statutes of the Unicameral, the regulations of the U.S. Department of Education and the baffling laws of the United States Congress. School board members serve anyway.

5. Only an idiot would accept a position that demands grueling hours, stress, constant criticism and a state statute that says a single “board appreciation dinner” is more than enough recognition for your service...oh, and be sure your spouse’s dinner is not included. School board members accept anyway.

So we suppose you could say that school board members ARE really one step beyond idiots. And we thank God He made them anyway.

Cornhusker Plaza 301 S. 13th St., Suite 210 Lincoln, NE 68508

P: (402) 804-8000 F: (402) 804-8002 KSBSchoolLaw.com