Board Not a Rubber Stamp
by Mike Mathes
January 02, 2008
The Board is Just a Rubber Stamp for the Administration
How many times have you heard people say that the board doesn’t think on their own? They just do whatever the Superintendent says. And for an outsider looking in that may seem to be true. Nearly every vote is 7-0 to do what the administration recommends. What you don’t know is on board meeting night when they vote on something it is not the first time they have been introduced to the topic. Over the course of weeks, months and sometimes even years the board members have received masses of information on the subject or topic. They have been given results of studies, testimonials, information from staff and hours of discussion before they are given the opportunity to vote on something. They have met with the Superintendent numerous times and set goals for him to achieve and have a comprehensive strategic plan to guide him. As a superintendent if I am not getting mostly 7-0 votes then I am not providing my board enough information and they are not providing me enough feedback.
So even though it may look like the board is just doing whatever the administration wants remember that the board has spent a lot of time, study and discussion on the topic long before it comes to a vote at a board meeting. The Superintendent works for the Board not the other way around. The Board and Superintendent need to be on the same page moving the same direction for a school district to be successful. When the Board starts having a lot of 4-3 votes it is time to get a new superintendent.
So the next time you think the Board is just a rubber stamp for the Superintendent remember the board has a lot more information than you and together with the administration they are making informed decisions to benefit the entire district.
