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Parents weigh in on how politics have changed nonpartisan Iowa school boards
Subject: 11000000 – Politics
•| Politics |•| 11000000 | •| POLY |
Parents weigh in on how politics have changed nonpartisan Iowa school boards
Iowa school boards are the lifeblood of the state’s public school system. From overseeing public funds to setting district policy, school boards shape the decisions made for students, families and communities.”These children that go to public schools are our future. They’re going to be our neighbors. They’re going to support us in our retirement,” said Lisa Bartusek, the executive director of the Iowa Association of School Boards. “We all have a stake in the success of students.”Public interest in school boards has peaked over the past few years as the pandemic pushed their decisions and votes into the spotlight. Politics are now playing a crucial role in an established, nonpartisan process.”School board elections are nonpartisan and the seats are considered nonpartisan,” Bartusek explained. “We have seen an uptick in recent years in both political parties, in their interest in running candidates for school boards and their engagement. That’s legal for them to do.”Although legal, one Ankeny mom questioned that behavior. Aubrey Alvarez was shocked to see political parties openly involved in her local school board election. “I saw the governor advocating and trying to campaign for school board members and that was really shocking because not only does the governor’s children not even go to the school, but it really just showed kind of where things have gotten with the school board,” Alvarez said. Ankeny is one of several school boards that’s made headlines over the past few years as the district navigated controversial topics like mask mandates, LGBTQ issues, book bans and diversity, equity and inclusion.Alvarez expressed concern that the divisive politics will cause harm in the classroom for her kids. She has a daughter who started kindergarten this week and another in second grade. “I do worry about how school board decisions are going to impact my girls as they go from elementary to middle to high school,” she said. In her opinion politics should have no role in school board elections or meetings and she believes the recent trend has had negative repercussions on Ankeny School Board decisions. “I think it’s been unfortunately clear that when it comes to putting students first that’s not always what the school board, the majority of the school board, is doing,” she said. But within the same district, another Ankeny mom has a different perspective. “I currently feel that the board is doing a great job,” Torrie Bagley said. “I currently feel that more than ever, they are focusing on education and getting back to the basics.”Bagley said the pandemic radically increased her involvement with the local school board as she advocated for in-person learning. ” absolutely awakened me to a lot of different issues that I was not aware of that were going on,” Bagley said. “I feel like the climate has completely changed to where people watch the school board, they go to the school board meetings and they are more involved than they ever had been before.”She said she sees the partisan trend in a positive light, helping her identify which school board candidates align with her personal beliefs.”If I know that they have the same value system as I do, I think my kids will be represented better at the school board table than what they would be if I nothing about the person,” Bagley said. As political involvement heightened in last year’s school board elections, so did voter turnout. In Ankeny alone, turnout for school board elections went from 5,151 voters in 2019 to 16,110 voters in 2021, according to the Polk County Auditor’s Office. Politics aside, Bartusek said she hopes that momentum continues. “If there are issues that are dividing our society that relate to public schools, then I would expect that interest to increase. I hope it stays increased, regardless of controversial issues,” Bartusek said. “There’s so much positive impact that a school board can make in its community, in building public support, in just making schools better every single day for the students they serve. I think that’s a very positive direction.”
Iowa school boards are the lifeblood of the state’s public school system. From overseeing public funds to setting district policy, school boards shape the decisions made for students, families and communities.
“These children that go to public schools are our future. They’re going to be our neighbors. They’re going to support us in our retirement,” said Lisa Bartusek, the executive director of the Iowa Association of School Boards. “We all have a stake in the success of students.”
Public interest in school boards has peaked over the past few years as the pandemic pushed their decisions and votes into the spotlight. Politics are now playing a crucial role in an established, nonpartisan process.
“School board elections are nonpartisan and the seats are considered nonpartisan,” Bartusek explained. “We have seen an uptick in recent years in both political parties, in their interest in running candidates for school boards and their engagement. That’s legal for them to do.”
Although legal, one Ankeny mom questioned that behavior. Aubrey Alvarez was shocked to see political parties openly involved in her local school board election.
“I saw the governor advocating and trying to campaign for school board members and that was really shocking because not only does the governor’s children not even go to the school, but it really just showed kind of where things have gotten with the school board,” Alvarez said.
Ankeny is one of several school boards that’s made headlines over the past few years as the district navigated controversial topics like mask mandates, LGBTQ issues, book bans and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Alvarez expressed concern that the divisive politics will cause harm in the classroom for her kids. She has a daughter who started kindergarten this week and another in second grade.
“I do worry about how school board decisions are going to impact my girls as they go from elementary to middle to high school,” she said.
In her opinion politics should have no role in school board elections or meetings and she believes the recent trend has had negative repercussions on Ankeny School Board decisions.
“I think it’s been unfortunately clear that when it comes to putting students first that’s not always what the school board, the majority of the school board, is doing,” she said.
But within the same district, another Ankeny mom has a different perspective.
“I currently feel that the board is doing a great job,” Torrie Bagley said. “I currently feel that more than ever, they are focusing on education and getting back to the basics.”
Bagley said the pandemic radically increased her involvement with the local school board as she advocated for in-person learning.
“[The pandemic] absolutely awakened me to a lot of different issues that I was not aware of that were going on,” Bagley said. “I feel like the climate has completely changed to where people watch the school board, they go to the school board meetings and they are more involved than they ever had been before.”
She said she sees the partisan trend in a positive light, helping her identify which school board candidates align with her personal beliefs.
“If I know that they have the same value system as I do, I think my kids will be represented better at the school board table than what they would be if I [knew] nothing about the person,” Bagley said.
As political involvement heightened in last year’s school board elections, so did voter turnout. In Ankeny alone, turnout for school board elections went from 5,151 voters in 2019 to 16,110 voters in 2021, according to the Polk County Auditor’s Office.
Politics aside, Bartusek said she hopes that momentum continues.
“If there are issues that are dividing our society that relate to public schools, then I would expect that interest to increase. I hope it stays increased, regardless of controversial issues,” Bartusek said. “There’s so much positive impact that a school board can make in its community, in building public support, in just making schools better every single day for the students they serve. I think that’s a very positive direction.”
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