Last night at our ACPS School Board meeting, I made a statement during board announcements responding to council candidate responses when they were asked during a debate: "What is your view on the relationship between City Council and the School Board? What gaps exist, and how do you propose to bridge those gaps?”
I encourage you to watch the council debate. The portion of the debate that discusses the City Council and School Board relationship begins at 1:11:40.
Kelly Carmichael Booz Statement from 10/24/2024 School Board Meeting
I want to take a moment to address some of the comments made during last week’s City Council debate, particularly those related to budget management and the criticisms raised by a fellow board member. Criticism, especially public criticism from a sitting School Board member about their colleagues or ACPS staff, does not help us solve the challenges we face. It undermines the hard work we are doing together and does little to foster the collaboration we need to move forward.
During the debate, council members were asked: “What is your view on the relationship between City Council and the School Board? What gaps exist, and how do you propose to bridge those gaps?” This question was focused on how to build bridges between two independently elected bodies—the School Board and the City Council—both of which are accountable to the voters. I believe fostering collaboration and understanding between these bodies is essential to ensuring the best outcomes for our community. Unfortunately, that was not the direction some candidates took in their responses.
The role of the School Board is clear: we are elected to manage the superintendent, who runs the day-to-day operations of the school division, to approve the budget and manage and control the funds, and to set policies that guide the division.
Serving on the School Board is also not just about asking tough questions—it’s about collaboration and building relationships to get the work done for our students. Over the years, I’ve worked closely with staff, fellow board members, and the community to ensure we are making decisions that reflect the best interests of our kids and their future.
As with any leadership role, being on the School Board requires both accountability, collaboration and trust.
Let me highlight three important points:
We are a continuous elected body: Decisions made by previous boards, such as the 2019 Minnie Howard decision, are ones we inherit and must manage moving forward. The challenges of transportation and logistics for the Minnie Howard campus are real and ongoing. It is no secret that the dual-campus model has presented pain points for our high school students and families. We are committed to solving these issues, and staff is continuously working to improve the system so that it better serves our students.
Leadership requires moving forward: It’s also important to note that any School Board member has the ability to propose amendments or suggest alternatives at any time using Robert’s Rules of Order. These rules ensure that every member has a voice and the opportunity to request changes or suggest improvements. During votes like the George Mason project, the process is open for any member to propose amendments if they believe other options should be considered. As an elected official, I have been on both the winning and losing sides of votes. But once a decision is made, I respect the will of the Board and work to implement it for the benefit of our students, even if it wasn’t my preferred outcome. This is how leadership works—we move forward together.
Fiscal responsibility to taxpayers: We take our fiscal responsibility seriously. As an elected body, we are directly accountable to the voters, and we must ensure that every dollar is used effectively to meet the needs of our students while adhering to the City’s budgetary framework. According to Section 22.1-89 of the Code of Virginia, once funds are appropriated to us by the City Council, the School Board is responsible for managing those funds in the best interest of our students. Our work is guided by a commitment to fiscal responsibility and to making sure our schools have the resources they need to succeed.
The original question in the debate was about building bridges, and that’s what we should be focusing on. Unfortunately, some of the comments made don’t contribute to that goal—they distract from the real work we’re doing and undermine the collaboration we need to solve the challenges facing our schools.
I remain committed to working alongside my colleagues, City Council, and the community to ensure we are delivering the best for our students. Our focus must always be on asking the right questions, holding staff and ourselves accountable, and working together to improve our schools—not on creating divisions between the very bodies that need to collaborate.
Let’s work to build bridges, not burn them.
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