Kentucky School Advocate

August 2024

By Kerri Schelling

KSBA Executive Director

I love to talk. Anyone who knows me would likely agree – including my own mother who admits letting me play with a plastic telephone as a toddler may have been a mistake. I was the student who teachers loved when it was time for class participation and tolerated when it was “quiet time.” So perhaps it is no surprise that I ended up pursuing a career where teaching, training and talking were big parts of the job. 

While I learned how to use my words at an early age, I didn’t find my voice until I was much older. It took many years before I understood just how powerful words could be when spoken by someone who truly believes in what they are saying. 

I don’t think I’m the only one who learned this lesson late. Idioms like “penny for your thoughts” and “put your two cents in” can convey that one’s convictions, ideas and opinions are not always considered valuable. I wholeheartedly disagree with this sentiment as a rule, but I can’t deny that sometimes talk IS cheap. Unfortunately, we all know of instances where people say things they don’t mean, go back on what they’ve promised or say things that simply aren’t true. Most of us are familiar with the children’s nursery rhyme about sticks and stones, assuring us words can never hurt us – when the reality is that they can. When people find their voice and use it wisely and thoughtfully, it can inspire, influence and transform. Words are immensely powerful and can be an incredible advocacy tool for those willing to embrace the issues and heed the call to action.

School board members have the opportunity to use this power every day. As locally elected representatives of their communities, they speak for and with their constituents and are a voice of the students they serve. They advocate for public education because they know its value and are committed to telling the story. They share the good news of their districts and are willing to have tough conversations when necessary. But what happens when the tough conversations become more frequent, the issues more complex and the stakes too high? What happens when things don’t get better, despite our efforts? Even the most dedicated board members can reach a point where they feel they aren’t being heard and may start to question if it makes any difference at all. My answer to that is always, “Yes, it does!” Silence may be a virtue, but to paraphrase Edmund Burke, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to say nothing.”

The great news is that, as school board members and public education advocates, projecting your voice rarely has to be a solo performance. When all school board members add their voices to those of their board team, they can make a tremendous difference in their community. And when all our school boards combine their voices, they can make a tremendous difference in the Commonwealth. KSBA believes that the school board voice is critical in every conversation about public education, whether it’s at the local, state or national level. The association works tirelessly to amplify your voices as citizen leaders – a chorus that cannot be easily ignored. 

As we usher in a new school year and the unique challenges it may bring, I encourage you to keep up the good work, harness the power of your convictions and, most importantly … Let your voice be heard!