Opinion: This School Board election deserves your attention

Mounir Lynch is a candidate for the Columbus Board of Education.

As Columbus heads into election season, much of the public spotlight has landed on the race for City Council District 7. That contest matters, but it isn’t the only race on the ballot that will shape our city’s future. The Columbus Board of Education election deserves just as much attention, if not more.

While the City Council sets the tone for city governance, the school board is where we decide what kind of opportunities we provide to the next generation. Will we invest in modern, safe, and green school facilities? Will we adequately support teachers and staff who are on the frontlines of student learning? Will we ensure equity so that a child’s ZIP code, race, or identity doesn’t determine the quality of their education? Will our budget reflect the values of Columbus? These are the questions at stake in this election.

Columbus City Schools (CCS) is the largest district in Ohio, serving more than 45,000 students. Although our city continues to grow, the district is shrinking, and academic performance continues to fall behind neighboring districts. 

Decisions made by the school board affect not only students and families, but also our city’s workforce, neighborhoods, and long-term economic health. Yet school board elections rarely receive the media coverage or voter turnout they warrant. School board campaigns have a difficult time fundraising and recruiting volunteers, while conflicts of interest in the education field place limitations on those with deep passion for schools to engage with local campaigns. 

This year, the stakes couldn’t be higher for CCS. The district faces $50 million in budget cuts, ongoing transportation issues that have left families lost, and facilities that are outdated, dangerous, and not conducive to learning. Meanwhile, Our chronic absenteeism rate has risen to more than 50 percent, literacy rate continues to fall, and students are graduating years behind their peers. These challenges demand thoughtful, community-led leadership.

Too often, though, these elections fly under the radar. But the truth is, more Columbus residents have a direct relationship to our schools than to any single council district (or ward in name only) When the board decides on closures, investments, or staffing, entire neighborhoods feel the impact. As a public health professional, I recognize that early childhood education in particular is one of the most influential determinants of health, and our district is struggling. The board’s decisions ripple into everything from childcare to property values to how connected residents feel to their community.

As a graduate and guest educator of Columbus City Schools, and now as a candidate for the Board of Education, I know firsthand how vital this work is. I’ve witnessed and experienced both the strengths and shortcomings of our district, from high-performing classrooms to buildings plagued by maintenance issues and boards that continue to let families down. I’m running because I believe our district can and must do better by our students, staff, and families. We have opportunities for growth if we invest more deeply and more equitably across neighborhoods. 

Although I’m running, this isn’t just about one campaign or even one election. It’s about whether we as a city recognize education as the foundation for everything else that we want to achieve: tackling inequalities traceable to the lasting impacts of segregation, strengthening neighborhoods, and preparing young people for the future. 

If we truly want to build a better Columbus, then the Board of Education election cannot be treated as an afterthought.

The media has a vital role to play here. More coverage of the candidates, their priorities, and the challenges facing the district would help ensure voters go to the polls informed and engaged. As I’ve knocked on thousands of doors in every corner of the city, the message is clear: our community cares deeply about public education.

City Council District 7 deserves attention. However, so do the students, families, and educators of Columbus City Schools. I call on our community to get involved, all hands on deck, to tackle the emergency that is the systemic dismantling of our schools, and to ensure that we elect people to leadership who are equipped to handle this challenge.