State Board of Education members are discussing if and how they should allow themselves to become involved in politics.
The board’s conversation follows the resignation in August of its former chair, Krista Huling, who stepped down after her colleagues raised concerns about her involvement with former Education Secretary Rebecca Holcombe’s gubernatorial campaign. The South Burlington High School social studies teacher is treasurer for Holcombe’s campaign, an unpaid position.
“I think that will make a bigger difference for the state than my service on the board,” she said in August about her decision to stay with Holcombe’s campaign.
At the time of her exit, Huling noted that many of the board’s members – who are appointed by the governor – were steeped in partisan politics and often are former lawmakers. The board doesn’t currently have any rules or policies addressing political involvement, and Huling suggested the body would be wise to adopt some to clarify what is or isn’t allowed.
In a draft set of guidelines, Chair John Carroll suggests board members should minimize their involvement in political contests when the candidate’s platform or the office sought “bears significantly on education policy that is to say, upon the Board’s statutory area of authority.”
It’s fine if board appointees want to remain involved in politics, Carroll told his colleagues at a board meeting held Wednesday at Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester. But if there’s too much overlap between what the board weighs in on and the campaign or organization that that member is involved in, that could create the appearance of a conflict. And that’s doubly true for the board’s chair and vice chair, who can speak on behalf of the board.
“The test is: Does your involvement create a confusion about ‘is this your view as a board member, or is this the view of the organization with which you have affiliated?’” Carroll said.
Board member Oliver Olsen suggested that whatever guidelines or policies the board ultimately adopt should encourage members to proactively disclose potential conflicts. With a relatively large number of people on the body — there are 11 — Olsen said members should err on the side of recusal if anyone expressed discomfort.
“You disclose and provide an opportunity for your colleagues to say ‘yeah, that doesn’t feel right.’ And as soon as someone says that doesn’t feel right, it’s simple, you step aside,” he said.
After a brief discussion at the close of the eight-hour meeting, board members ultimately tabled the discussion until their November meeting.