Despite all the attention it gets, the Kern County Board of Education has little sway over policies at most local schools. It serves mostly in a support role for school districts, ironically, and oversees just six campuses.
But as an elected panel with public meetings and countywide representation, it has served in recent years as a uniquely influential platform for advocacy. A board majority has passed controversial resolutions and filed litigation on some of the hottest topics in education.
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