School board recalls becoming popular in Wisconsin

Do you recall when school board meetings were rather routine, sometimes boring affairs? Sure, board members and administrators made important decisions on things like hiring and budgets. But lately, school board members are finding themselves in the crosshairs of an angry public. And it appears Wisconsin has become ground zero for that ire. A group that keeps track of ballot initiatives says the number of recall attempts against school board members in the U. S. has risen to record levels this year. 209 school board members have been targeted for recall so far in 2021, more than double from any previous year. In Wisconsin, since March of last year, recalls have been attempted against 36 school board members in 16 school districts, second most of any state in the nation. Most aren’t successful, but a growing number of school board members are resigning under the pressure. How you feel about recalls depends on your perspective. Former Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch was critical of recalls when she was the target of one, saying recalls should not be used to settle policy disputes. Now that she is running for governor, she is promoting the recall of school board members in Mequon. Remember, these school board members are volunteers, unpaid, working on behalf of our children. Those who think they can do a better job should run against them, but only when their current term is up.