Both Republican candidates for the District 7 seat on the Hamilton County Board of Education say they are solid conservatives, both have either children or grandchildren in local public schools, both say they want to give back to their community by serving in public office and both have made safer (or secure) schools one of their priorities.
Attorney Jodi Schaffer and retired businessman Ed Garcia are vying for the opportunity to replace retiring, two-term incumbent Joe Wingate in the district that encompasses most of East Brainerd and Apison.
We believe Garcia would be the better pick both for the time he would be able to devote to the position and because of his background in business and management. With the retirement of budget watchdog Rhonda Thurman, the board will need someone who is unafraid to ask questions, buck "the way we've always done it," and vote on matters with both students and taxpayers in mind. We hope Garcia is that candidate.
The winner of the March 5 primary will face independent David Sean Kelman for a seat on the 11-member board in the general election on Aug. 1.
Garcia has emphasized a three-step "plan of action" if he is elected.
Like many candidates throughout the country, he insists he will "optimize existing resources" by "identifying programs and policies that maximize results" (and perhaps by extension pare those that don't). He also says he will "secure our schools" by working with legislators and law enforcement to enhance school security and work with administrators to tackle behavioral issues, and that he'll "build community engagement" through regular town hall meetings and partnering with local businesses.
In answers to questions at a recent Pachyderm Club meeting, Shaffer and Garcia were on the same page in many areas (favor vouchers, oppose social emotional learning as opposed to academics, favor increased teacher pay). They differed slightly in how to evaluate teachers, with Garcia suggesting an independent model that emphasizes progress and Schaffer countering that supervisors are the most qualified judges.
Schaffer, for her part, stressed time and again the necessary support for students, teachers and administrators, her "S.A.F.E.R. with Schaffer" slogan and her ability to be in schools despite her status as a working mom.
"We know how to get things done," she said.
Nevertheless, we believe Garcia deserves the edge in this primary race.