House k-12 Committee discusses NC School Board Election Bill 6_29-22

The presentation of HB 1173 (election of state school board members) passed committee this morning. In summary, vocal democrat opposition noted that those running would have to become party-affiliated therefore politicizing the members of the board. Those who brought this up as a challenge have not been paying attention to the education system as it stands today. The state school board is already grossly partisan without elections. Furthermore vocal opponents mentioned that this new system would endanger minority representation on the board of education....
what?
There is no proof of this (nor any proof mentioned) and I'm not sure how this conclusion is made. Are North Carolinians incapable of electing minorities? It seems to me NC just elected a Black Lt Governor. Wouldn't putting the vote into the hands of regional citizens give them more power to elect someone they feel represents them?

One interesting comment--a house member asked if anyone knew the names of the current state school board members (min 13:20). No one did. 56% of the state budget goes to education, and the members of the house committee on k-12 education (republicans and democrats) do not know the makeup and names of our State Board of Education. Oh boy.