The board is by law supposed to be nonpartisan, but members make no secret that they are loyal Republicans. That irritates county Dems such as George Curcio, who is involved with a group called Democrats Unite.

"The School Board has a very chummy, grandmotherly image," he says. "But when the big issues come up, they can't deal with them." Those issues include high school rezoning, the naming of Hagerty High in Oviedo and the threat to yank bus transportation for some Evans Elementary children who would have to walk to school along busy State Road 434.

Change wouldn't come quickly. The next School Board elections -- three seats -- are not until summer and fall 2006.