Charleston's Deep State Takeover of School Board

They can't stand it: people keep being elected to the Charleston County School Board that they didn't personally select! Now Charleston County's version of the deep state has decided to take concerted action. "Some of Charleston County's wealthiest and most politically connected figures — including three mayors — plan to endorse a slate of candidates and overhaul the school board in the upcoming November election."

You see, the School Board controls so much money and so many jobs, not to mention contracts, that the selection of members simply can't be left to the hoi polloi. What do they know anyway?

This self-selected aristocracy of power doesn't believe in democracy. Look what happens: we get a [shudder] Chris Collins elected, and those individuals don't go along and get along. They aren't prepared to rubber stamp everything the superintendent wants.

We wouldn't be in this situation if we had (1) single-member districts and (2) partisan seats. Our local version of the deep state believes those are the worst things that could happen. Why, if we had single-member districts not swamped by the Mt. Pleasant vote, the North Charleston members might demand improvement to North Charleston's schools. Horrors!

And if we had partisan races, voters might actually know what candidates stood for, unlike now (and apparently into the future) where they mainly stand for self-aggrandizement, and a safe venue for Democrats who otherwise wouldn't be elected.

Think there's no difference in how Republicans and Democrats view educational goals? Naive, aren't you?

The poorly-named Charleston Coalition for Kids should be renamed the Charleston Coalition for Political Power. Mayors have no authority over school boards, although maybe they should. They should keep their noses clean. The wealthy don't always know what's best for the poor. Director Josh Bell's experience with Teach for America hardly qualifies him to select Charleston's school board.

Be critical, be very critical of candidates supported by this group.