Would This Resume Get the Job?

Every election is a job interview.

Most people don’t see it this way, but that’s what an election is. The main difference is that, instead of a single hiring manager, thousands of voters make the choice.

Before hiring someone to help govern the largest employer in Hillsborough County, an organization with more than 218,000 students, over 23,000 employees, a budget exceeding $4 billion, and responsibility for the seventh-largest public school system in the United States, one question deserves an honest answer:

Would this resume get the job?

Imagine a private company of this size announcing it was looking for a new member of its board of directors. Shareholders would want someone with demonstrated experience running large organizations, handling complex budgets, setting policies, holding leaders accountable, and making tough decisions that affect thousands of employees and hundreds of thousands of customers.

Why should taxpayers expect less?

Brittany Lyssy’s campaign website introduces voters to “a proud Hillsborough County mom” who, along with her husband Doug, is “raising their three young boys in our community.” The site talks about her conservative values, volunteer work, and political activism. These are all admirable traits. Good parents can make good public servants.

The question isn’t whether Brittany Lyssy is a good person.

The question is whether her background demonstrates the experience necessary to help govern one of the largest and most complex public institutions in America.

Her campaign materials focus on her political activism, campaign work, Republican Party leadership, and community service. What’s missing is experience running a large organization, managing a multi-billion-dollar budget, leading thousands of employees, holding elected office, or working in public education as a teacher, administrator, or district leader. While experience in education isn’t the only way to be an effective School Board member, voters should expect candidates to have strong leadership skills or real expertise in public education. If she has that experience, her campaign should talk about it.

The campaign finance reports tell another important story.

Aside from a personal loan to her campaign, which is common, almost 40% of donations from known donors came from outside Hillsborough County. The donor list features Republican political committees, candidate committees, attorneys, business groups, and well-connected political contributors from all over Florida. There’s nothing wrong with these contributions, but it’s fair to ask whether this campaign is mainly supported by Hillsborough families or by a statewide political fundraising network.

One detail in the public records made me smile. The family’s Tampa address is a 684-square-foot, one-bedroom condo. If five people are living there comfortably, they must have found a level of family togetherness most of us can only admire. There could be a good reason for this, and public records don’t always tell the whole story. Still, it’s a small detail that makes you look twice.

None of this is meant as a personal attack.

Running for the Hillsborough County School Board is a serious undertaking. The Board hires and reviews the superintendent, sets policy, manages billions in taxpayer money, makes decisions for over 218,000 students, and helps shape the future of the whole community. Those responsibilities deserve more than just campaign slogans and political endorsements.

Every election is a hiring decision.

Before voting, people should ask the same question any responsible board of directors would ask before filling an open seat.

Does this resume demonstrate the experience needed to help govern a $4 billion organization?

If the answer is yes, Brittany Lyssy deserves your vote. If the answer is no, voters should keep looking.