Transparency isn’t a problem for Rich Girard.

You certainly never have any problem knowing where he stands.

Manchester could use that kind of candor on the school board.

Girard knows the city well. He worked for Mayor Ray Wieczorek, served as an alderman, and hosts a daily radio show that devotes considerable time to Manchester issues.

Girard is making transparency the centerpiece of his campaign for the Manchester School Committee. He wants to pull back the curtain on Manchester schools, giving parents more notice on standardized tests, intrusive nonacademic surveys, contract details, and even which elected officials are taking taxpayer-funded benefits.

The current board treats parents as an inconvenience. Girard would treat them as partners, invested in finding the best education possible for their children. He knows that better information will lead to better decisions, and better schools.

Rich Girard has been a voice for open city government for years. Manchester voters now have a chance to make him their voice on the school board.