The Narrative Business: UPDATE

 

 

By Gretchen Garrity

Setting the narrative is important in politics. We can see that in the local Springfield Board of Education race that is gearing up for election day on April 2, 2024.

Recent News-Leader articles show how a narrative is built and sold to the public. Eight people are now in the race for 2024. First, let's look at a pretty straightforward article from Oct. 24, that discusses which candidates will be running and who on the board will be running for re-election.

Not only does the article mention two previous candidates who will be running again, Landon McCarter, and Dr. Chad Rollins, but makes sure that their vote totals are mentioned. Other previous candidates who were contacted did not get the same detail, including a former incumbent who was defeated in his 2022 reelection bid. Nor are the vote totals for the winners given, which might show a closer race than many would suspect.

Perhaps it's because some of these candidates have not made a decision, or have decided against running. At any rate, there seems to be a subtle nudge there with McCarter and Rollins, both of whom seem to be excellent candidates.

Six days later on Oct. 30, is an article introducing a new PAC called "United Springfield." Watch how the narrative is building. The article starts off:

 "Prominent, long-time Springfield leaders have formed a political action committee to support candidates in upcoming school board and city council races that are required by state law to be nonpartisan."

We see words like "prominent" and "long-time leaders" and "nonpartisan."

 

The PAC's launch was the day before packets could be picked up by potential candidates. We are told "its creation is a direct response to a dramatic increase in the participation of partisan and 'dark money' groups..."

The article goes on to say "such groups have raised significant sums of money, and sent or paid for political attack ads on TV, social media and through text messages."

PAC co-chair Jim Anderson speaks about "civil discourse" and "community partnership" and "collaboration." He's "very concerned with the disruption and the divisiveness and the polarization that seems to be all around us..."

Anderson goes on to opine that the new PAC "is the vehicle we think we need to make the community better." 

Here are some of the PAC's goals: 

"Support of candidates running for nonpartisan office who aim to unite, not divide..."

Then there is "Protecting civil discourse, community partnerships..."

And finally, "Preserving a united, nonpartisan local government."

Remember President George W. Bush, who said he was a uniter, not a divider?

The ick!

To people who have been "long-time leaders" like those who are forming the local PAC, just having candidates who do not align with the status quo power structure can seem divisive and uncivil.

The fact is, schools have been suffering academic decline for years, including the years that the "prominent, long-time Springfield leaders" have been actively in charge of things.

While it's nice that both Democrats and Republicans are forming the PAC together in an effort to be nonpartisan, it's pretty well understood that there is a Uniparty power structure on all levels of government--local, state, and national. And it's the Uniparty members, long used to being in charge, that oversee bloated government budgets, declining schools, and higher taxes.

Back to the narrative building. In a Nov. 10, 2023 News-Leader article, an eighth candidate has emerged to run for the Springfield Board of Education. Susan Everett Provance has announced. Self-described as a "team player," Provance has a long history with Springfield Public Schools, from student, to teaching and coaching, to having children in the district.

 

Here comes the narrative part:

"She said the ugliness of recent school board races--with candidates subjected to negative TV ads, flyers, and videos--was a concern as she explored a campaign.

"'The priority ought to be the kids,' she said, adding that she is nonpartisan."

"'In this nasty world of politics, I consider myself part of the silent majority that now needs to step up and not be silent.'"

If Provance tows the line, if she speaks only positivity, rainbows, and unicorns to voters, she will undoubtedly earn the endorsement of the United Springfield PAC. 

This is the narrative that is being built by the local power brokers in Springfield. If you step out of line, if you say anything about school issues that seems remotely negative about another candidate or their platform, then you are a divider, and you must be silenced through appeals to civility and nonpartisanship.

This is how the free expression of ideas is suppressed in public discourse. This is how "prominent long-time leaders" retain their power structures.

This will not help Springfield schools. Hopefully, voters will be awake to the narrative. Look for similar narratives when Christian County school board races start up.

UPDATE: Here is more of the Narrative Business in this latest article about the Springfield School Board Race. The "uniters" are pulling out all the stops. In this article about Kyler Sherman-Wilkins we immediately see the narrative words "partisanship," "divisive," "inciting division," and "one voice."

Once you see the Narrative, you can't unsee it. The latest candidate is going to be an interesting one in the mix. He's got lots of experience in the public sphere and his politispeak is smooth. The powerful in Springfield are walking a tight line. We may see some unusual alliances in the coming months.