Our View: Only four to vie for School Board seats

Apparently, St. Charles Parish residents are satisfied to a great extent with their School Board members this year. Only two of the eight seats that are up for election every four years are being contested.

Incumbents without opposition are Dennis Naquin, Clarence “Sonny” Savoie, John Smith, John “Jay” Robichaux and Alex Suffrin.

Long-time member Steve Crovetto bowed out of the race to seek other pursuits, and lent his support to Art Aucoin, who is unopposed. Another long-time member, Mary Bergeron in District 2, also declined to seek re-election, and gave someone else a chance to lead. Both Crovetto and Bergeron have been effective members in the past. Contestants in the election will be incumbent Ellis Alexander and Milton Allemand in District 1 and Bobby Faucheaux and Melinda Bernard in District 2.

The lack of much competition for the seats indicates somewhat of a satisfaction with the present board by the public in general. The fact that St. Charles has had one of the better public-school systems in the state apparently has helped lead to this lack of extensive opposition.

Almost all of the operation of the school system is left to the staffs of the central office and individual schools. The school board’s main function is to set and maintain the direction into which the system is headed.

And that is very important. It certainly deserves our attention in electing board members.