Roanoke Picks School Board Appointees

Roanoke just appointed two new school board members — and it’s sparking debate across Virginia. Unlike most towns, Roanoke and just 11 others in the state appoint their school board members instead of electing them. Supporters say this lets cities handpick the most qualified candidates, focusing on experience and skills over campaign money or popularity. Mayor Joe Cobb says it builds trust and collaboration from day one. Lynchburg adds that appointing keeps school board work less political and more financially aligned, since their budgets flow through city councils. Both cities are now inviting public feedback to ensure community voices still matter — even if you don’t vote for the board. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/2bd249b7d5819a4f