Beyond the Ballot: Examining the Lexington School Board Candidates
Candidates running for Lexington City Council and the Lexington City Schools Board of Education answered questions and expanded on topics they felt were of the most importance during a candidates' forum at Union Baptist Church on Thursday.
The candidates answered questions from funding for the Lexington school district, the need for affordable housing, school safety, economic development, supporting local businesses and naming their top priorities
Lexington City Councilmember Matt Welborn is facing newcomer Dylan Tucker to represent Ward 3 in the only contested race for city council.
Photo credit Sharon Myers
Tucker said some of his top priorities are growing the economy by bringing in more small businesses; focusing on community rejuvenation of old buildings and programs to help high school students succeed after graduation.
“My father taught me that leadership is not about titles, it's about serving the people you care about,” said Tucker. “I am here to represent my community in Ward 3 because I care about you. I am here to listen to your voices, and to serve the community that has given me so much. Lexington is not just where I reside, it is my home, my family and my future. I am ready to work for you, learn from you and build a strong community with you.”
Some priorities Welborn identified included addressing aging infrastructure, growing the tax base through new jobs and maintaining equitable service for all citizens.
“My goals are simple, to make sure we are putting all Lexington citizens first and foremost when making decisions... All while trying to maintain the small-town charm that we all know and love. I feel my most important role as a councilman is to be a link between citizens and the city to provide answers to questions, solutions to problems and to connect them with someone who can help them with their issues,” said Welborn.
Photo credit~ Sharon Myers
Only the incumbents filed for the three other seats available on the Lexington City Council. The unopposed candidates running for Lexington City Council are Keith Curry for Ward1, Jim Myers for Ward 2 and John Burke for Ward 4. Lexington Mayor Jason Hayes is also running unopposed.
There are two contested races out of four available seats for Lexington City Schools Board of Education.
Incumbent Lisa Hathaway is being challenged by newcomer Patricia Miller as the elected official for Ward 4 and current school board member Lewie Phillips will face Cheryl Leverette-Lide for Ward 6. Incumbent Debra Verdell is running unopposed for the at-large seat on Lexington Board of Education, and Angela McDuffie (I)is running unopposed for Ward 5.
Hathaway and Phillips were not present at the candidates’ forum, but the challengers took the opportunity to answer questions and clarify their positions.
Miller identified the need for diversity and equality of programming so all students can get a quality education, parent and community involvement as well as hiring qualified teachers that care about a child's education as her top priorities.
“I hope to help build a better relationship between the schools and the parents and the community. I believe diversity and equity is an absolute necessity and our schools need qualified teachers to guide our babies from PreK to high school. This allows our children to step out into the world and enter adulthood fully skilled and informed,” said Miller.
Lide said parent and community involvement; creating a positive and supportive academic environment as well as addressing mental and behavioral problems as her top issues.
Photo credit~ Sharon Myers
“What got me interested in running was that I was encountering children that were not doing well, the skill sets weren’t there, the literacy wasn’t there, and my parents always said you can be part of the problem or part of the solution. I have an earnest desire to be part of the solution. And I know that schools are the springboard to a very strong community,” said Lide.
The forum also included questions from Colin Weeks and Aaron Holt, seniors at Lexington Senior High school. The questions concerned how school board candidates would support and promote extra-curricular activities, school athletics, teacher retention and school safety.
Miller said .the school district needs to utilize social media to encourage community support and parent involvement, and that it was important to identify qualified and motivated teachers. She said she is in support of on-site mental health professionals and services but does not support teachers carrying guns in the classroom.
Lide said she supports fundraising and sponsorships from businesses for sports, clubs and other activities, including the arts. She said she feels it is important to foster a positive and communicative school environment and having adequate facilities for a healthy learning environment and to retain teachers. She said she supports programming and staff for early detection of potential emotional or mental issues.
The candidates forum was hosted by the Lexington Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Omicron Psi Omega Chapter, Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Tau Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the Davidson County NAACP, Lexington Branch, Davidson Local and Union Baptist Church
