Our choices in 2016 school board races
Early voting has begun, and once again the editorial board has devoted much time in recent weeks to meeting with local candidates and talking about the issues at hand. These elections feature an impressive array of people willing to offer their time and talents for public service, and we salute them all.
We reiterate that these endorsements are simply our preferences; they do not carry the weight of a single vote. Your choices do, and we urge every voter to exercise them.
In the Post 1 contest, career educators Joann Thomas-Brown and Al Stewart vie for the seat held by incumbent Pat Hugley Green. Classroom and administrative experience is a point in both challengers’ favor; Ms. Brown in particular offered specific examples of skills that have made her an effective teacher and administrator — which, ironically, raised in our minds the question of why those gifts would be better applied on a school board than in a school.
Incumbent Green does not have that experience, but she does have a record of thoughtful and responsible service on the board that argues in her favor. Despite the credentials of her opponents, Pat Hugley Green has earned another term.
The Post 3 race pits incumbent Althavia J. Senior against challenger Vanessa Jackson, director of the Childcare Network in Columbus. In talking to both these women, we were convinced of their dedication to the education of local children; but we were particularly struck by how the experience of a first term has broadened and sharpened Senior’s perspective on the role of the school board. Her candor about what has and has not worked is refreshing, as is her stated commitment to helping Superintendent David Lewis succeed in improving the overall achievement level of the district. We give the nod to A.J. Senior for reelection.
District 5 is wide open, as incumbent Rob Varner has chosen not to seek another term. Four candidates — Laurie Cochran McRae, Todd Robinson, Pete Taylor and Robert Wadkins Jr. — are vying for the seat.
Robinson is a former Army Ranger and longtime educator. Wadkins and McRae are both attorneys, the latter a former Synovus vice president now in private part-time practice. We were not able to schedule a meeting with Taylor, who listed his occupation as “retired.”
Robinson has obvious leadership experience and skills, and would likely make a good board member, but to us the choice comes down to McRae and Wadkins.
We honestly believe both of these people need to be on the board. It’s a toss-up, and for us the toughest choice on the slate. We give the edge, by the narrowest of margins, to Robert Wadkins.
Post 7 is likewise an open seat formerly held by Shannon Smallman. And also like District 5, it features more than one candidate who would do well on, and two of whom have served on, the school board.
Norene Marvets is a former board member with a sound grasp of what the duties are — and are not. She says a good policymaking board must “trust its leadership,” and acknowledges the disadvantages some children bring into struggling schools right from the start before those schools can be turned around.
Cathy Williams, president of NeighborWorks Columbus, is also a former board member who chaired the panel during her tenure. She decided to enter the race when the candidate she was supporting decided late in the qualifying process not to run.
Sheila Williams is former director of B&O services, and lists among her priorities the need for higher teacher pay and better teacher training. She also favors board members being provided with a school district line-item budget “down to the penny.”
All three candidates are clearly qualified for the post, but Marvets and Cathy Williams both have good records to run on (or, if voters prefer, run against). Experience, in this case, looks to be far more an asset than a liability.
To point out that Cathy Williams is the spouse of Ledger-Enquirer reporter Chuck Williams is too well known by now to qualify as “disclosure,” but it still needs to be acknowledged. He is not a member of the editorial board, nor does he cover the school district. Readers can make of that what they choose
In any case, this isn’t a slam dunk. As with the District 5 race, we wish with two (and maybe all three) of these candidates could serve on the board. Cathy Williams gets the nod because her past leadership of the board could serve the district well in the future.
Again, these are our picks; yours, if you make them official, will actually count.
NEXT WEEK: Columbus Council, judicial and law enforcement endorsements.
This story was originally published May 7, 2016 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Our choices in 2016 school board races."