Though Charlottesville City School Board member Louis Bograd had already said he would not run for election in November, he made it official last week, putting in his letter of resignation effective July 11. Bograd’s wife is taking a job at the University of Kentucky.
Four of seven city School Board members are up for election, but only Chairman (and former Mayor) Alvin Edwards has said he will run again—and even he hasn’t yet filed requisite paperwork. Of course, none of those was elected in the first place: The rules changed in 2005, when city voters decided they’d had enough of City Council making the School Board appointments after controversy surrounding then superintendent Scottie Griffin. The first School Board election in May 2006 drew six candidates for three spots. But no one new has yet stepped up to the plate for this round of elections (though Sean McCord is flirting with the idea, posting his thoughts about running on www.cvilleschoolblog.com).
Democracy must hope that enough candidates file by June 12—otherwise, only a Circuit Court judge will have any say.