School Board in Shreveport Equally Divided Between Whites, Blacks, Republicans, and Democrats

The Shreveport Times | 11-1-02 | Brumble, Melody

[Theodore R.]

Incoming Caddo School Board to face full plate of issues Future of three districts to be decided in Tuesday''s vote Melody Brumble / The Times Posted on November 1, 2002

Runoff elections Tuesday could give Democrats or Republicans a tie-breaking vote on the Caddo School Board and an equal number of black and white members.

The 12-person board is equally divided among Democrats and Republicans, though most members differ only in degree on their conservatism. There are seven white and five black representatives. Board members rarely split along party and racial lines, tending to form issues-oriented alliances instead.

Voters will decide contests Tuesday in Districts 4, 5 and 12, with outcomes in Districts 4 and 12 determining the board's makeup for the next four years.

Democrat Charlotte Crawley and Republican J. Michael Cook, both of Shreveport, square off in District 4, which has had Republican representation for 12 years. Incumbent Mike Thibodeaux decided against seeking a fourth term this year. If elected, Crawley would be the only white Democrat on the board.

Democrat Willie Henderson and Republican Rick Middleton, both of Shreveport, are aiming for District 12, which covers west Shreveport and southwest Caddo. If elected, Henderson would add another Democratic voice and make the black-white balance 6-6.

Longtime District 5 incumbent Mildred Pugh of Shreveport faces newcomer Lola B. May of Shreveport after the two emerged from a four-way race Oct. 5 with the highest number of votes. Both are black Democrats.

Regardless of individual ideologies, new and returning members face a set of pressing issues: the search for a superintendent, a stagnant budget, the state's education accountability program and public perceptions about the board's backbone and integrity.

Parent Rudolph Glass wants board members to focus on the basics the next four years. His son attends E.B. Williams-Stoner Hill Elementary Lab School because Glass doesn't like the atmosphere or facilities at Central and Ingersoll, the elementary schools in his neighborhood.

"The schools that are low performing that don't have a good teaching staff, they need to work on that," Glass said. "The parents need to be made more accountable, too."

Glass was among people questioning candidates at an early morning forum Tuesday. Runoff contenders are wrapping up campaigns for districts that, in some cases, drew candidates months before the fall election season. Dissatisfaction among parents and school system employees and controversial changes contributed to intense interest in the School Board elections.

"I think the elections prove one thing, that there are very few of them (incumbents) that are free of opposition," said Artis Cash, a Shreveport minister, community activist and radio talk show host.

Cash has started a campaign to bring back Ollie Tyler, a former Caddo deputy superintendent who oversees the Orleans Parish school system. Tyler was one of the finalists turned down when the Caddo board chose Robert Schiller as superintendent near the end of 1999.

Under Schiller's tenure, the board created closed and consolidated schools, hired teachers to reduce class sizes and created programs, often dipping into reserves. If the economy doesn't improve significantly, the board will end this budget year with about $2.7 million in its general fund reserve.

[Theodore R.]

Increasingly, LA's open primary law is leading to white Republicans and black Democrats making up all or most of the membership on certain elected boards, primarily in the larger cities and towns. The small towns still remain monolithically Democrat. The GOP can often not even find candidates for minor positions in small LA towns.