Lyles: Not enough to merely rebel

In asserting that people should periodically shake things up because, “It prevents the degeneracy of government and nourishes a general attention to public affairs,” Thomas Jefferson went on to say, “… a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” His words ring as true today as they did more than two centuries ago.

Future historians may very well argue that one of the most astounding phenomena of 2016 is the number of political rebellions the year has spawned. Few predicted the Brexit outcome at the beginning of the year. Yet this grassroots rebellion by voters against the political elites in both Britain and Europe — perhaps even the world — will change the course of world history more than any other event of this decade.

In America, the rise of the candidacies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders has been equally as astonishing. Even though the solutions and strategies of both candidates are roundly criticized – Sanders’ for being so socialist they’ll never work in America and Trump’s for being shallow and lacking detail — their campaigns, along with that of anti-establishment candidate Ted Cruz, garnered almost two-thirds of the votes cast in the primary elections this year.

A similar rebellion on a much smaller scale is taking place in the Poway Unified School District. Once a symbol of excellence in school district governance, PUSD leadership, which includes the school board and the superintendent, is now devoid of respect and generally held in disdain. Once held in high esteem as a well-led and well-managed district, PUSD now has the distinction of being a “perennial favorite” to win the Golden Fleece Award from the San Diego Taxpayers Association. Our teachers achieve excellence in the classroom in spite of, rather than because of PUSD leadership.

The much-needed PUSD leadership rebellion is different from Brexit and the presidential election in one very important way. The difference here is the emergence of a group of responsible citizens who have banded together to ensure the rebellion achieves a positive outcome. Demonstrating the unique brand of responsibility that parents and teachers in our district have always shared, The Coalition for Effective School Board Leadership was organized to ensure that results of the district’s rebellion actually solve the existing problems of the district.

Coalition Chair Mary Andrews has relied on her strong background in organization development and leadership to work with her team to develop a process to vet potential school board candidates against six criteria. These include having high standards of personal integrity, being able to build consensus and understanding fiscal responsibility, among others.

I met with Ms. Andrews and former Poway High School Principal Scott Fisher, who is helping with the coalition. I’m convinced their vetting process and approach will help competence override politics in picking who will lead the district going forward. Now it is up to the rest of us to step up and get equally as involved.

Our personal actions won’t affect Brexit. As Californians our influence on the presidential election may be a fore drawn conclusion. But together we can have significant impact on what happens in the PUSD election. The outcome of this election will affect both the education and prosperity of our region for years to come.

I encourage everyone to check out the coalition, do your own homework on the school board elections and support candidates who will restore PUSD to greatness. It’s not enough to merely rebel. We must ensure that the outcome of the rebellion benefits the common good, our communities and our children.

Lyles, a Poway resident, is a management consultant and best-selling author. Reader comments, either online or through letters to the editor, are encouraged.