Rather than seek public input or conduct interviews for a vacant seat, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro school board voted to simply install one of its own: former board member Jean Hamilton, who chose not to run for re-election in 2009. Only two board members voted against this end-run around the public.
Check out the justification from board member Jamezetta Bedord, who pushed for the appointment of Hamilton.
Some members said the search for the new superintendent could possibly overwhelm a new board member.
Bedford argued the board has been “slowed down” by member turnover over the years.
“It is a one- to two-year learning curve,” she said. “You are slow. You are ineffective. You don’t know.”
Translation: we know more than you do and we’re not interested in anyone who may have questions or any pesky new way of looking at an issue.
Hey, why not just appoint all the members? Why bother with the public at all? That will most certainly slow things down.
