Perhaps the injustice faced by Scott Smith and others at the hands of hostile school boards will empower ordinary citizens to wrest control from left-wing ideologues and chart a new course for their public schools. A great example can be found in the city of Canby, Oregon, just south of Portland; the Canby School District has a secret weapon in the person of Board Member Stefani Carlson.

Education Reporter recently caught up with Carlson, who provided valuable counsel and encouragement for parents and citizens wishing to take an active role in their communities.

Carlson admits that she became interested in running for the school board when the culture of her town began to change. "I'm a homeschooling mom," she says, "and I never envisioned getting involved with the public-school system." But when she witnessed an unwelcome cultural change in her community as it drifted leftward, she felt she had to do something.

The catalyst for her decision to become more active was the Canby City Council's proclamation of a "Transgender Day." Carlson spoke out against this designation at a city council meeting, believing that sexuality is a personal matter and not part of a city's legitimate business. She was attacked and called a "bigot" on social media, particularly on Facebook. "It was problematic for my family's small businesses," she says, but because she "wanted to please the Lord," she was determined to stand her ground.

In the midst of the uproar, Carlson decided to run for the Canby School Board. Two years later, she's still not sure how or why she won, except that it was obviously God's will. "I continued to be attacked on social media and in person during the campaign," she recalls. "People came to my home and my business to harass me. I prayed about it and even tried to withdraw from the race." But she discovered that she could not withdraw; her name was already locked in as a candidate.

"I was running against a well-known eight-year incumbent, and I told myself I could not win anyway, so why worry about it? I continued to pray, and against all odds, I won."

Since her election, Carlson has worked to help other conservatives get elected; two that she's proud to say have been quite good. She's convinced of the value of helping like-minded citizens win elections to various offices, and that "building a network" is critical in the battle against the Left.

Practical Advice for School Board Candidates

Carlson believes most people can run for their local school boards. "It doesn't require a lot of money," she explains, "but personal effort and face-to-face contact is very important."

Since it's an elective office in the vast majority of school districts, she believes door-to-door campaigning is a must. "Conservative candidates need to reassure voters that they are in favor of basic skills instruction and solid academics, and making that case is more impactful face-to-face. Be sure you have a clear message that you want your district schools to return to the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Have some cards or flyers ready to hand out, and don't forget to enlist a small team of volunteers to go out and campaign on your behalf."

Carlson favors eliciting the support of like-minded groups such as right-to-lifers, and says there are "micro-groups popping up all over that support conservative candidates." She says those considering a school board run should "be cognizant of who else is running and for what positions. It's important that conservative candidates are organized and on the same page."

Another powerful message she says will resonate with voters is to advocate "the wise use of school budgets." Most voters believe there is excessive waste of their tax dollars, and conservative candidates need to emphasize fiscal responsibility.

Carlson acknowledges that running for elective office is tough, but insists that "it's a lot harder once you're there. You must have a backbone to stay on target. It is a spiritual battle more than anything else. Go into it knowing you will be attacked for doing the right thing."

School Board Member Responsibilities

A school board member's basic responsibilities include overseeing the district superintendent, reviewing school policy, and overseeing budgets. "It's important to understand the power structure," Carlson notes. "You will be told the lie that you work for the superintendent, but the truth is that the superintendent works for the school board. School board members work for the citizens who elected them."

She points out that board members need to be familiar with district policy because they can influence those policies as well as the budgets. "Funding can be complex," she says, "and budgets can be raised. So, it's important to dig in and not be afraid to ask questions, especially legal questions." She adds that it's a good idea for board members to have their own legal resources to whom they can reach out. "There are so many layers to work through, but you will be much more effective if you become familiar with them."

Reiterating the importance of networking and moral support, Carlson recommends that conservative school board members form a group or join an existing group to share ideas. "One thing our neighboring Newberg School District did that we supported was to prohibit any flags in classrooms except for the American flag." She explained that the intent was to limit controversy, but "instead all hell broke loose." A simple, practical decision created an uproar that, among other mayhem, nearly caused the chair of the Newberg School Board, who is a tennis coach in Carlson's district, to be fired. She offers it as an example of how important support from like-minded elected officials can be when introducing a potentially divisive, even if sensible, policy.

Another responsibility of the school board is to approve curricula. "State law governs the curriculum," Carlson concedes, "but there are ways around that." For example, she recommends that boards authorize an "opt in" alternative to the typical "opt out" recourse for parents. That way, students actually need parental permission to attend an objectionable class such as comprehensive sex education rather than relying on the school to follow the parents' wishes and opt the child out. "Partial sections of curriculum can also be removed," Carlson says. Savvy board members can use state law to their benefit to circumvent the bad laws.

Parents' Rights

Carlson stresses the truism that parents have the right to address their school board. "They should be able to bring up whatever topic they want with regard to their schools, including curricula, budgets, and anything directly related to their child's education. It is not okay to deny parents their First Amendment right to speak."

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