DOWN TO THE WIRE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SERVE SCHOOLS

The search is on for a few good women and men. The jobs are three vacancies on the Cape Girardeau Board of Education. The openings are immediate. The application deadline: This afternoon at 4:30.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission has shown appropriate urgency and remarkable openness in its search for three new board members. Names of all applicants have been released for public scrutiny. This is as it should be. Potential board members should be exposed to the same exposure as candidates running for election.

The release of applicants' names serves two purposes: It allows for the public to join in the selection process, and it may nudge other qualified candidates to apply.

This high level of openness, it can be expected, will continue through the interview process. Just as candidates are quizzed at candidate forums, these applicants should be interviewed by commissioners in a public format.

The commission found itself in charge of the search under a rarely used state law that applies when there are more than two vacancies on a school board.

It is clear the commission recognizes the importance of filling the positions quickly with quality people. They hope to make a decision by the end of April. Commissioners are both accepting applications and aggressively recruiting good candidates. At least 45 individuals have expressed some interest in the three positions.

Individuals who are recruited as finalists by commission members should submit to the same level of public scrutiny as other candidates who apply. This might best occur during a public interview process for all finalists. The more openness the better in this selection process.

It is no secret the Cape Girardeau School District's administration and school board have operated amid controversy and allegations this past year. One board member decided not to run for re-election. Another sought a court order to have his name removed from the ballot. Three others resigned within a week of each other. It has been a mess.

But the four current board members seem eager to rebuild community trust. That is why the selection of three additional new board members is so important. These individuals must be well-schooled in common sense, business and educational issues. They shouldn't have an axe to grind or be administrative boosters. They should come with an open mind and the students' best interests at heart.

In short, this decision could be one of the most important that county commissioners ever make. They have an opportunity to choose people above reproach who can help reshape the board and build confidence. The future of Cape Girardeau's public schools depends upon their choices.

Today is the last opportunity for individuals interested in serving on the school board. A letter and resume must be delivered to the county commission today to be considered in the running. It is time for armchair board members to come forward. It takes quality people to build a quality board.