During the final Hamilton County school board debate on Wednesday evening, 16-year incumbent Rhonda Thurman and lifelong resident Stephen Vickers demonstrated strong commitments to the Soddy-Daisy community with contrasting approaches on how to advocate for that community and how schools should respond to COVID-19.
Thurman, first elected to the board in 2004, leaned heavily into her extensive experience there and said that her track record of being fiscally conservative has helped the district be more efficient and effective in how it spends money.
“The citizens, students and taxpayers of District 1 know I have fought for fiscal accountability,” she said. “They know I have fought for facilities and student opportunities. They know I’m not afraid to voice my opinion. They know I will continue to be the voice of reason for the hard working people in District 1.”
Born and raised in Soddy-Daisy, Vickers said his commitment is rooted in not only being a product of the local public school system, but in raising a child who currently attends Soddy-Daisy Middle School.
“I, unlike my opponent, she is a 16-year incumbent career politician at this point, I’m a newcomer. I have to look at things from a unique perspective,” he said. “We have to look at things from a holistic perspective, both on the human side and the data side. That is why I’m running for the District 1 school board.”