Editor's Notebook: The Art of Compromise

For a few minutes on Monday night it seemed like the Board of Education wouldn't accept the bench to honor former Schools Supt. Richard Brodow again.

The board voted in June, during Brodow's final meeting, to table accepting the gift. Some members cited the need for the board to finish its work on a naming policy before voting on the bench. But the debate spun off in an ugly direction to the point where Brodow left the room.

On Monday night, the debate shifted from whether or not the board should accept the gift because of a naming policy to a debate on where the bench should be located. The PTO Conference originally asked for the bench to be located in front of the Education Center, but the resolution presented by board member Scott Kamber did not mention location. It mentioned the superintendent working with the PTO to find a location.

But as the debate started to rage on the PTO Conference's wishes for the bench, Schools Supt. Crisfield stepped into the conversation to talk about compromise. He said school leaders should be setting an example for those working in Trenton and to the district's students on compromise. He had mentioned earlier about how New Jersey losing out on the Race to the Top funding was an example of education leaders unwilling or unable to compromise. The board debate quickly ended and went to a vote, which was unanimous to accept the gift.

It seems in recent months something that's been missing from education debates in Millburn-Short Hills is compromise. The most recent example is the naming policy, which has been a topic of debate for months at board meetings.

Perhaps the compromise to to remove the proposed policy's sunset clause. The sunset clause would remove the name from a building, field, room, etc. after 10 years. Many opponents to the changes in the policy have dubbed it the "denaming policy" because of the provision. Some worry that's been expressed is how the sunset clause would affect buildings, rooms, field, etc. that already have been named, citing how it would remove the school district's historical connections.

In conversations with opponents, they've said if the sunset clause was removed the proposed policy would be more acceptable.

This debate has been raging since June and takes up plenty of time at meetings. It is too early to be talking about the budget, how the administrative restructuring of supervisors is working or the impact of redistricting. We're only in the second week of school. But the ground work and study for some of those issues, including the budget, is going to start soon if it hasn't already. It would be best to get some of these other, distracting issues off the table, and the best way to do it is through compromise.

Plus setting the example and tone for compromise now will help as those issues unfold in the future. Important decisions will need to be made in the coming months on school programs and services, and finding common ground and compromise will be needed. Everyone involved or interested in education in Millburn-Short Hills should follow the lead Crisfield is taking.