Proposed Reforms of School Committee Ignore Union Influence

[From article]
But having a City Councilor chair the School Committee is a mistake. City councilors do not run for School Committee. For weeks and months in advance of each election, they speak to residents about issues of zoning, planning, housing, small business development, etc., and hardly ever about schools.
School Committee elections revolve around the schools, and the candidates spend time learning voters’ views on school issues and publicizing their own plans and ideas. Over time, incumbent councilors and School Committee members develop very different areas of expertise. School Committee members become knowledgeable about all of the schools in the system. They learn the school budget process and get to know the strengths and weaknesses of various administrative leaders. They spend a large amount of time becoming well versed about school issues. A number of School Committee members bring institutional knowledge from year to year and have developed long-term expertise about school issues and about parents. They also have an in depth knowledge about teacher and administrator personalities.

Curious that this reform proposal and most all of the election rhetoric omitted any discussion of the role of the eight unions making school policy. Why is that not a matter for concern by voters and elected officials?

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1039480697/COLUMN-Let-Cambridge-School-Committee-choose-its-own-chair

COLUMN: Let Cambridge School Committee choose its own chair
By Janneke House and Avi Green

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Cambridge Chronicle
Posted Dec 19, 2013 @ 10:09 AM