Calls for elected school committee

As I just read in the Banner, there seems to be a move afoot by many community members and school-age parents to return to an elected school committee.

Put me down as in support of an elected school board. Back in November 1981 I voted to restructure the elected Boston School Committee from a five-member citywide board to a 13 member (four citywide and nine elected in districts) similar to the current Boston City Council.

However, in 1992 during the Flynn administration, the elected board was replaced with a seven-member appointed board that the Mayor’s office filled. Since then, the current school committee has had little reason to be responsive to the stakeholders in the system, namely parents. I feared this very idea back in 1992 when the mayor took complete control of the school board. It really hasn’t worked out that well. The School Committee really needs to be controlled by the voters or it just becomes a rubber stamp for City Hall.

— Sal Giarratani East Boston