This week, Vernon Malone (D – Wake) filed SB 198, which would modify restrictions on service on the State Board of Education.

The bill would allow two public school employees (including employees of the Department of Public Instruction) to serve as members of the State Board of Education. Previously, only one public school employee could serve on the SBE, and no DPI employees were allowed to be appointed to the SBE.

Malone’s bill clears the way for Bill Harrison, the new “CEO” of North Carolina’s public schools to serve on the SBE.

For what it’s worth, I prefer the “old” rules, which didn’t allow the governor to blur the line between DPI and the SBE. In the immortal words of Offspring,

Hey – man you talkin’ back to me?
Take him out
You gotta keep ’em separated

Hey – man you disrespecting me?
Take him out
You gotta keep ’em separated

Anyway, at the February State Board of Education meeting, Howard Lee announced that Eulada Watt (Congressman Mel Watt’s wife) had resigned from the Board. Mrs. Watt was appointed to the SBE by Governor Easley in 2007. Governor Perdue will have the opportunity to appoint someone from District 6 (Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Stanly, and Union counties).

With this change in the law, Harrison’s appointment, and Watt’s resignation, Governor Perdue will be swinging the State Board of Education in her direction, right quick.