Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as simultaneously alive and dead as long as it is not observed and its fate depends upon a random event that may or may not happen. As long as the cat’s fate is not known, both possibilities are occurring. Once one opens the box, one finds either a dead cat or an alive cat. This visual observation or measurement collapses the differing outcomes into one.

In the midst of our interregnum, where we find ourselves between an election and the day when the winners will be installed into office, we are contemplating a closed box where many possible policies exist simultaneously. Until we get beyond the interregnum and see what policies actually take effect, we are living in a time of confused worry and angst.

Nationally, Donald Trump is doing his best Donald Trump. He has promised much, simultaneously saying he will do it and backing off saying he will not do it: tariffs, vengeance upon his enemies, mass deportation, on and on the list goes. His proposed leadership promises kooky policies that Trump says he does not support. Does he or doesn’t he?

Will the new administration deauthorize vaccines or not? Will they ban the addition of fluorine to public water supplies or not? Will an alcoholic run the Defense Department? Is he or isn’t he? Will the Education Department aggressively push federal school vouchers or will it be shut down?

I’m sure you can think of many things to add to this list of Schrödinger’s cats.

In my local school district (Duval County, Florida,) we too are experiencing Schrödinger’s cat as the new board members, aligned with Mom’s 4 Liberty either formally or by endorsement, have taken office. We have yet to see what new policy and curriculum changes they will make, if any.

I add the ‘if any’ disclaimer because new school board members are often surprised by how little influence and control they have over education decisions and policy in DeSantisland. Most of what must happen is dictated by Tallahassee.

Most of the rest of the nitty-gritty of running a school system is in the hands of the hired gun, the Superintendent. Some new board members are shocked to discover that they have no say in who will be named principal of the schools in their district. Further, most of what they have to vote on is put before them by the Superintendent and his staff. The school board mostly rubber-stamps decisions made by the professionals.

But they can cause a lot of trouble and upset the community. What will the new member from District 1 do about his campaign complaints that elementary teachers had placed litter boxes in their classrooms for the furries? You read that right, the classroom, not the bathroom.

Will he disrupt board meetings with ridiculous complaints and kooky policy proposals? Or will he settle down, chuckle at the gullibility of the electorate, and utter thanks to the god he believes in for August elections and low turnout?

How will the new member from District 5 behave given that he showed up to his first meeting with an attitude toward the chair? Other members took exception with one telling him that he has a chip on his shoulder.

All we know is that an ideological change has taken place. Duval County is Moms 4 Liberty’s dream come true. But the political scene is full of movers and shakers, behind-the-scenes powers and wealthy backers, it’s not like the school board is in its own little sandbox unaffected by others. The City Council, for example, has not shown reluctance to interfere in overt and covert ways even though the school board is a separate, independent agency.

What will happen? All we know at the moment is that we cannot see inside the box. Meanwhile, five of the seven board members will attend the School Boards for Academic Excellence conference in Orlando at taxpayer expense–they approved that at their December meeting. (Read here for background on the SBAE.)

There are too many possibilities to contemplate. For my part, I have been detoxing from all the angst of the cat and the box. (Moving away from Twitter has been an important step. Oh, the addictive nature of social media algorithms!) I plan to have a happy holiday, attend to some family matters of importance, and wait for this interrregnum to end.

I hope you do the same. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Prosperous New Year for all.