Op-Ed: Stamford Needs Collaborative, Student-Centered School Board Members
Stamford Board of Education Vice President Shares Recommendations Ahead of Municipal Election
By Versha Munshi-South
Local boards of education are among the most important — and least understood — institutions in our democracy. They ensure that public schools reflect community values, operate transparently, and serve all students well.
School board members are volunteers — neighbors and parents who give their time to govern, not to manage. Our role is to set goals, pass the budget, supervise the superintendent, and monitor policy. We are expected to act as a team on behalf of students and families, not as partisans or individuals advancing personal agendas.
That’s why the most important question voters should ask about school board candidates this November is if they will work collaboratively with others to put students first.
Why Collaboration Matters
Effective school boards depend on collaboration. When members respect each other, listen, and build trust, the board can focus on what really matters: student success. Collaboration doesn’t mean agreement on every issue. It means being willing to engage in honest dialogue, learn from data, and compromise to move the district forward.
Members who are curious, prepared, and respectful model the very values we teach in our schools. The best boards use evidence, not emotion, to make decisions and understand that good governance requires humility, discipline, and teamwork.
What Gets in the Way
Unfortunately, in Stamford, collaboration has too often been undermined by partisanship and political posturing.
During board meetings, it’s not unusual to see the local Republican Party chair sitting in the audience and beckoning board members for side conversations in the hallway, or even in the board room, during meetings. That kind of interference is inappropriate and erodes public trust.
Regular blanket accusations against the “majority party” don’t demonstrate a willingness to listen or learn. They create a contentious atmosphere that discourages problem-solving and drives wedges where bridges should be built.
We’ve also seen 6–3 (6 Democrats, 3 Republicans) votes on key district issues — votes that should have been unanimous in support of our teachers and students. The board’s approval of the budget, which included essential raises for teachers, and support for the revised construction specifications for the new Westhill High School were both examples where division distracted from progress. These decisions were based on teacher feedback and state funding requirements, not politics, and yet they became politicized anyway.
Even more discouraging, a Republican board member who consistently listened, collaborated, and voted based on data was later ousted as chair of their party and denied an endorsement to run for re-election. That sends a chilling message: collaboration, even when principled, can come at a political cost. And that’s exactly the opposite of what our students need from us.
The Work Ahead
If Stamford wants to attract strong leadership, including a top-notch superintendent, the board must show that it can operate professionally and cohesively. The best superintendent candidates will be evaluating us just as we evaluate them. They will look for a board that supports its superintendent, works constructively, and speaks with one voice about student success.
Strong candidates will avoid districts where meetings are divisive, votes are politically split, and members attack one another in the press. A fractured board discourages good leaders from applying — and that ultimately hurts students.
What to Look for in a Board of Education Candidate
As voters consider school board candidates, it’s worth focusing on temperament, teamwork, and professional expertise.
The best board members:
• Put students first in every decision.
• Are collaborative, even when they disagree.
• Come prepared, curious, and ready to learn.
• Use data, not anecdotes, to guide decisions.
• Build relationships across differences.
• Respect the boundary between governance and administration.
• Bring relevant professional expertise, such as experience in education, law, accounting, or community-based leadership, to strengthen the board’s capacity for informed, balanced decision-making.
• Approach their work with integrity, humility, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
In short: we need people who can work well with others and bring knowledge that complements, rather than competes with, the district’s educators and administrators.
A Call to Lead by Example
Our students are watching us. They notice whether we listen, compromise, and treat others with respect.
If we want to prepare them to thrive in a diverse, democratic society, we must model that behavior ourselves. Stamford deserves a Board of Education that governs collaboratively, communicates respectfully, and always keeps students — not politics — at the center of every decision.
Versha Munshi-South currently serves as vice president of the Stamford Board of Education and is the parent of two high school students. Her comments are her own and do not represent the official views of the Board of Education.
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