AIBU to step down as a governor in one school and move to another?

[Campaspe]

I wanted to be a governor add I have an interest in education and felt I could support schools. DD's school has no vacancies, and after applying through the council, I was appointed an LEA governor at a school across the city from which I live. I threw myself into the role, which I have held for 18 months, and became an active member of the governing body. It is a school in a very deprived area, and many of the pupils come from very disadvantaged backgrounds.

My concern is this: DD's school have approached me and want me to join their governing body because of a particular skill I have. I want to be able to influence the school DD goes to, and avoid the 35 minute drive across town to the other school.

However, I feel guilty because this school is in a poor area, and the school have trained me as a governor and given me responsibilities in my role.

AIBU to step down so I can be a governor in DD's school? I can't do both.

YANBU.

I would say yabu slightly....

You must do what you want to do. The school who trained you will be disappointed but I'm sure will understand. Good governors are really hard to find. Maybe anyone else reading this who hasn't thought about being a governor could volunteer. Schools tend to have a lot of parent governors which is good but they tend to only really be interested in issues that affect their child. Being a governor while not a parent is even more valuable in schools over-parent-governored.

Why can't you do both?

Time. I do a lot of volunteering activities, and need to spend more time on my family.

How long is your term of office at your current school?

Appt was for 4 years.

Most of the training is LA funded so if you are still in the same LA, no-one loses out on your training....you carry it with you. My only comment is that having previously been a governor in my kids school at quite a tough time for the school,I found it such a relief when I stopped and could just be a parent without knowing all the ins and outs of what was going on in the school.That might have just been because it was all a bit unpleasant at the time!

It would be fair to the school to stay until your 4 years are up.

Under the new constitution regulations, governing bodies can only have one LA governor. If your body hasn't yet re-constituted, and there's more than one LA governor, that might be a good way for you to bow out gracefully. All bodies have a statutory requirement to reconstitute by Sept 2015, so might be worth asking your Chair about this.

Would your DD's school consider having you as an associate gov just for your expertise field? That way you wouldn't be obliged to sit on other committees or even attend all the FGB meetings, and it might be possible to serve both schools.

Good luck