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With the vote behind them, newly elected representatives to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board on Wednesday expressed optimism about the work ahead.
The challenge they face could come into sharper focus this morning as Superintendent Peter Gorman unveils a four-year master plan for improving the state's second-largest district.
Several of the five newcomers elected Tuesday say they plan to work with him. But current and future members also noted that, given the board's reputation for infighting, they can help simply by getting along.
"I had a number of folks who, when they found out I was running for school board, they laughed," said Tim Morgan, who won the District 6 seat in southeast Mecklenburg. "They said, 'Why would you want to get involved with that group?' When you see people thinking of the school board that way ... it tells me people have lost confidence in the school board and its members. I hope to restore that."
Eric Davis, who won the District 5 seat in south Charlotte, said that, before the new board dips into tough issues such as student assignment, the members need to get to know each other.
He compared the situation to a sports team preparing for the season.
"You can't go out and play the first game right away. You've got to practice. You've got to develop some skills and learn each others' tendencies," he said. "That's what we've got to do as a board. We've got to learn to work together."
Trent Merchant, who wasn't up for re-election, said the five newcomers give him hope.
"The thing I like and I'm looking forward to is I think all of the folks who were elected are very personable. It gives us a chance to have a more collegial atmosphere."
That won't guarantee instant unanimity on thorny issues such as student assignment and achieving equity between middle-class and poor schools.
Richard McElrath, who won the west-southwest District 2 seat, said he doesn't know what Gorman's plan contains, but he's joining the board with plenty of questions.
How, he asked, will CMS close the achievement gap separating minority and low-income students from white and wealthier ones? Can assistant principals' job evaluations be tied to teacher performance? Why aren't more of the best-qualified teachers moved to the neediest schools?
"I'm not accusing anybody," he said. "I'm just asking questions. I want to understand things from the inside. From the outside, it doesn't look good."
Joyce Waddell, who won the north-northeast District 3 seat, said she thinks the school system's on the right track generally, but she wants better results on closing the achievement gap and sharing CMS's resources equitably among schools.
"There shouldn't be low-achieving schools year after year," she said. "Something's got to change."
Tom Tate, the only incumbent to seek and win re-election, noted that when the new board is seated next month, he will be one of the nine-member panel's most experienced members. Before the elections, he ranked among its least experienced.
"That's just how dramatic the change will be," he said. "We'll have to figure it out together."
