With new vacancy, Fayette school board could become more diverse. But it needs our help.

Two years ago, shortly after the general election, Lexington Urban League President P.G. Peeples lamented that the Fayette County school board had no members of color in a majority-minority school district.

“There’s no one to blame for this situation, but it’s unfortunate,” he said. The board members “don’t have the lived experience of racism, they have not lived the experiences of the kids or the kids families and that’s going to be very difficult.”

As I wrote at the time, “that racism shows up in schools segregated by race and income, by assumptions about what is possible for students of color and a wealth gap that affects measures like standardized test scores. Fayette County, like most school districts, has longstanding achievement gaps between races, as well as disparities in school discipline. A study by the local NAACP in 2017 found that black students were twice as likely to be suspended in and outside of school than whites in the Fayette school system.

But now there’s an opportunity. The school board, which fills empty positions, can replace recently resigned District 1 representative Christy Morris with a person of color who understands what many of our students face in school.

Not just anyone.

“I am not interested in the board ‘looking’ racially diverse or performative diversity that is so pervasive in Lexington,” said Shambra Mulder, education chair of Lexington Fayette NAACP. “I am looking for someone who is bold enough to speak up for and devote resources to the diverse students who are suffering most in FCPS.”

Rev. Clark Williams of Shiloh Baptist Church and Lexington Black Faith Leaders agrees. Students of color make up about 53 percent of students, while about 48.5 percent of all students are considered low income.

“Students of color make up a majority and yet we don’t have students of color represented in the makeup of board,” he said. “That is a real problem and an issue, but equally important is if a person of color is identified to fill that role, that person needs to have a demonstrated track record of and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. One of the worst things we can do is just look at someone’s demographic profile and say that they check that box.”

Williams pointed out that in the criminal justice community and on our new city council, Lexington has a record level of diversity. The school Superintendent is Black. But now it’s time to turn to the school board. And we can help. The board is taking applications to be considered through the close of business on December 23, 2022.

Eligible individuals must be at least 24 years old, have been a Kentucky citizen for at least the last three years, be a registered voter in District 1, have completed the 12th grade or have a GED certificate (transcript or certificate required), meet all other legal eligibility requirements in accordance with KRS 160.180, and once selected, complete required annual in-service training.

The school board is also asking for community input in helping them develop a profile to guide their selection.

In addition, interested applicants can:

▪ Pick up a paper application at the John D. Price Administration Building 450 Park Place, Lexington, KY 40511.

▪ Receive help filling out an online application at the John D. Price Administration Building 450 Park Place, Lexington, KY 40511.

▪ Email fcpsdistrict1@fayette.kyschools.us to ask questions or request that an application be mailed.

The successful applicant will serve until the next general election on Nov. 7, 2023, and then can run for election to fulfill the remainder of Morris’ term through the end of 2024.

As education activist Penny Christian said: “In a majority-minority district, our school board should be representative of our student population, and this is a golden opportunity for the sitting school board members to demonstrate that diversity is a priority for them moving forward.”

It’s a hard and mostly thankless job to be on the school board. You have to read a lot of reports. You get yelled at by strangers. But in the end, there might not be a more important job for our citizenry to do.