✍🏾 What Is a School Board and Why Should You Care?
- Brittany Hamm
- Jun 22
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Unless you’ve been deep in PTA meetings or fighting to keep books in the library, you might not even know who’s on your local school board. But here’s the thing: school boards are one of the most powerful—and overlooked—parts of your local government.
🏫 What Is a School Board Anyway?
A school board is a group of elected officials who make big decisions about your local public schools. Think of them as the boss of the school district. They don’t run the schools day-to-day (that’s the superintendent’s job), but they do:
Approve the budget (how your tax dollars are spent)
Set school policies (dress code? books in the library? they decide)
Hire and evaluate the superintendent
Decide curriculum standards (what your kids learn and how)
Why It Matters to You
Even if you don’t have kids in school, the school board impacts your community in real ways:
They shape the future workforce. What kids learn now affects who’s ready for jobs tomorrow.
Property values and neighborhood safety. Schools impact how attractive your community is to live in.
Local culture and politics. Issues like sex ed, Black history, mental health, and LGBTQ+ inclusion? That’s the school board's call.
Why You Should Definitely Vote for School Board Members
These races are often low turnout, meaning just a few hundred votes (sometimes less!) can decide who makes HUGE decisions. That’s wild, right?
📌 People on the school board can:
Ban books
Cut programs
Influence how history is taught
Decide if your schools get more or less funding
If you care about kids, truth, or just want your tax dollars spent right, school board elections are your business.
The school board affects way more than just schools. It touches the heart of what your community values. So yes — it absolutely matters. Know who’s running. Ask them real questions. Then show up and vote like your neighborhood depends on it. Because it does.
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