ROANOKE, Va. – A growing number of people are calling for a change in the way Roanoke City School Board members are seated.
On Thursday, about a dozen people rallied on the steps of the municipal building downtown. Their question is simple: Elected or appointed?
Roanoke is in the small minority of school divisions in Virginia that continues to appoint its school board. Luke Priddy is trying to gather 6,000 signatures to put the question to a referendum this fall.
“I believe in democratic participation, I believe in voters having the opportunity to answer this question, I personally believe in an elected school board. We may end up with an appointed one but I think that the voters should decide which one we use,” Priddy said.
The effort has gathered about a thousand signatures so far.
The petition can be signed in person or online by visiting RoanokeVotes.org. Signing the petition online requires providing the last four digits of your social security number for security purposes.