Indiana is turning school boards into a farm system for wannabe politicians

Indiana is on the verge of adopting partisan school board elections, as the House recently passed Senate Bill 287, allowing candidates to declare political party affiliations. While the bill no longer requires primary elections, its passage marks a shift in how school boards are structured, potentially transforming them into training grounds for aspiring politicians rather than keeping the focus on educational governance. Republicans argue that partisan elections would provide transparency, ensuring that school board members reflect the values of their conservative communities. However, critics argue that this push is less about community representation and more about enforcing conservative control over curriculum, library books, and school policies while diminishing the influence of public schools in favor of private and charter institutions, writes James Briggs of the Indystar.

Proponents claim partisan school boards could enhance voter awareness, but there’s little evidence suggesting such a system improves governance. Instead, it risks attracting politically ambitious candidates more interested in culture wars than school administration. The shift could lead to more instances where ideological actors use school board positions to gain visibility, as seen with figures like Micah Beckwith, who leveraged his role on a library board for political gain. While partisan elections may not spell disaster for Indiana’s schools, they will likely introduce more unnecessary drama and undermine the expertise of board members, replacing them with individuals driven by political agendas rather than educational outcomes.