Trustee’s resignation highlights the challenge of serving on the
local board
Hollister School District Trustee Joe Navarro’s short-lived
tenure on the board is unfortunate, but also underscores the
reality that elected officials in education, no matter how
enthusiastic the public servant, are inherently hamstrung by a
scarcity of discretion and an increasingly continuous assembly line
of cuts.
Trustee’s resignation highlights the challenge of serving on the local board
Hollister School District Trustee Joe Navarro’s short-lived tenure on the board is unfortunate, but also underscores the reality that elected officials in education, no matter how enthusiastic the public servant, are inherently hamstrung by a scarcity of discretion and an increasingly continuous assembly line of cuts.
Navarro last week informed Superintendent Gary McIntire he was resigning from the post after serving about eight months on the board. The retired teacher-turned-trustee cited health issues for his departure – more specifically, a boost in stress related to the district’s dire financial situation. That stress apparently had potential to aggravate already existing health concerns, so his reasoning makes sense.
Whether you agree with Navarro’s philosophies on education, there is no doubt he approached the role from the outset with the same passion he brought to the classroom for so many years. He was a strong supporter of the teachers union and was active in the 2010 campaign for a $96 parcel tax on the June ballot – a failure at the polls due to economic realities as opposed to any sort of referendum against education. He entered the job with every intention to spark change and lead the charge of reform.
As Navarro soon realized, however, one man sitting on one local school board has little to no leeway in moving mountains. Elected school leaders’ capacities for discretion have narrowed with each passing budget. With an ever-decreasing supply of money, they are forced into a position where a rubber stamp is more common than a debate, out of necessity.
Navarro found out that idealism comes at a cost that we can’t afford these days.
Still, there are other interested and enthusiastic citizens who can step up to the immensely difficult challenge. During last year’s election, eight residents were candidates for three open spots on the board of trustees when Navarro and others were elected, a sign that Hollister’s citizenry truly cares about the future of local education.
The board appears ready to appoint a replacement instead of paying for another special election – a wise direction – but they also should respect the voice of the vote from just 10 months ago and ask the next person in line from the November results, David Redman, if he is interested. If not, then the fifth vote-getter, Chuck Spandri, should get the opportunity.
