Opinion: Don’t resist the popular vote in Concord

Concord School District Charter Commission discusses ward versus at-large voting at a meeting in the Concord School District board room Feb. 15, 2022.

Concord School District Charter Commission discusses ward versus at-large voting at a meeting in the Concord School District board room Feb. 15, 2022.

By JEFF WELLS

Published: 10-30-2024 6:15 AM

Jeff Wells lives in Concord.

While the views of those who support the school charter may be informed by experience, they verge on an alarming philosophy that leans toward authoritarianism, where a small, elected board decides what’s “best” for the community without genuinely considering input from those most affected. The notion that public opinion is too ‘”unreliable” or influenced by “neighborhood interests” is a dangerous path; it suggests that the public, whose tax dollars fund these projects, is too uninformed or emotional to shape the future of their own city.

Suggesting that community voices should be sidelined because they might delay construction or introduce differing perspectives is frankly dismissive and exclusionary. This view puts efficiency over democracy, a stance that has historically led to localities where citizens are stripped of the right to shape their own environments. In this case, it smacks of a “we know better than you” mindset, which borders on the principles of fascism, where centralized authority replaces the fundamental rights of the populace to debate and decide.

It’s shocking to argue that citizens shouldn’t have the right to vote on the relocation, rebuilding, or replacing of schools. This logic implies that only a small, centralized group of elected officials, no matter how well-meaning, should hold the power to make these decisions without interference from the very people their decisions will affect for decades. Isn’t that the antithesis of representative democracy?

In Concord, where schools are more than just buildings (they are anchors for neighborhoods) it’s essential that decisions like these be informed by a broad range of voices, not just bureaucratic calculations about bond markets or construction timelines. The argument that such votes would merely reflect “passions” assumes that citizen concerns are somehow less valid than the technical expertise of a committee. That’s paternalistic.

Furthermore, removing neighborhood schools may well be the root cause of many issues affecting Concord today. It’s no coincidence that as the local elementary schools were consolidated or relocated, we saw a steep decline in children walking or biking to school. What followed? A need for more buses, more drivers, and an increase in unnecessary diesel fuel consumption, creating an environmental and logistical burden. Neighborhood schools once allowed students to walk safely within their own communities, fostering independence, physical activity, and social connection. In removing these local institutions, we inadvertently eroded these benefits and shifted toward an inefficient, fuel-reliant transportation model.

The fact that no one spoke against the board’s autonomy during previous commission meetings is not evidence of public agreement. It’s more likely a reflection of the disengagement that comes when people feel their voices won’t matter. If we continue to suppress public discourse in favor of “efficiency,” we risk alienating the very community we aim to serve. Empowering residents to vote on decisions like school relocation and the sale of school property ensures that elected officials remain accountable to the people they serve.

In conclusion, resisting the idea of a popular vote in favor of a closed-door decision process sets a dangerous precedent. The proposed charter amendments do not limit the board’s ability to make decisions; it ensures those decisions are truly reflective of the community’s will. To deny that right is to walk perilously close to governance that prioritizes control over collaboration, and that’s a risk Concord cannot afford to take.

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