Blackwell Files Bill to Change Appointment Power of State Education Board Members

MORGANTON — Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke, this week proposed legislation to alter the North Carolina Constitution.

His House Bill 823, titled, “Governance of the Department of Public Instruction,” proposes an amendment to make the superintendent of public instruction, an elected position, the head of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

The Valdese attorney also is a primary sponsor on two more bills filed this week. All three could impact public education. HB 822 directs the State Board of Education to implement a dropout recovery pilot program. HB 829 is an act to streamline public school planning responsibilities.

HB 822, HB 823 and HB 829 all have been referred to the House Committee on Education.

Blackwell said his concern in filing HB 823 is that there seem to be two heads of public k-12 education in the state.

“The idea is to try to have a real organization with one head instead of two,” Blackwell said. “And it might result in a more logical administrative structure.”

The governor appoints the chairman of the State Board of Education and 11 of its members. The state board has legal and formal responsibilities for public education.

The voters elect the state superintendent of schools who functions as the chief executive officer of N.C. DPI.

Morganton News Herald

As noted above the governor currently appoints the 11 members of the State Board of Education while the voters of North Carolina elect the State Superintendent.  Under Blackwell’s bill, the appointment process would be altered so that “The State Board of Education shall consist of the Lieutenant Governor, the Treasurer, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, three members appointed by the Governor, four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and four members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.”

I guess having three members of the government appointing board members is better than one appointing all of them, but is this really going to put an end to appointments of political cronies?  These appointments are going to continue to be political favors like they are now.  If they are going to amend the state constitution then why not have the 11 board members be elected by the voters of North Carolina?

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