By admin 
With a month to go before Election Day, candidates for three open seats on the Lexington 1 school board made their pitch to voters for what they would like to do for Lexington County’s largest school district.
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Campus security, classroom technology use and school board civility were among the topics candidates addressed at the forum Wednesday night at River Bluff High School.
Rather than have all seven candidates who came to the forum line up on stage, students from River Bluff’s Center for Law and Global Policy guided them from table to table where voters were waiting to talk to them in more informal conversations.
The format meant voters at one table heard from one candidate on one of a list of pre-selected subjects. When his subject was classroom funding challenges, candidate Jack Lundeen said the district would need help from the Legislature in meeting all its funding needs.
“Lexington County is at a disadvantage because the General Assembly looks at us like we’re a rich county,” he said. “I’m from Pelion. You think we’re rich?”
Tasked with speaking to school safety measures, Dana Homesley said the district needs to keep its buildings secure, but was reluctant to place metal detectors throughout the district, as some parents at her table suggested.
“I don’t want our schools to feel like prisons,” she said.
Shelton Yonce, one of three incumbents running for reelection to the board, said he wanted to strengthen communication between administrators and the needs of individual schools.
“I’ve suggested having the district office staff spend a week subbing in the classroom for teachers,” he told his table.
Current school board member Katie McCown spoke to one table on the pre-selected topic of “board accountability” when a board member’s conduct sparks controversy — a question likely inspired by McCown’s online comments about a Black History Month fashion show that sparked student protests and a lawsuit against the district.
McCown didn’t address that controversy directly, but said she was committed to voicing opinions she believes many of her constituents share.
“I feel like I was put into this position by the community, and there’s a desire for me to represent them,” she said. “I’m not a person who is going to be quiet. I’m going to say the hard thing,” although McCown stressed she could only speak as an individual and not for the board as a whole.
She did say that board members are required to behave with civility and questioned how much public officials should post on social media.
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The growing use of technology and artificial intelligence in classrooms was often raised by parents as a concern, and candidates often agreed.
“I’m old school with my children. There’s no technology when they come home, not even on the weekend,” said Crystal Baker. She said she wasn’t opposed to using technology as an assistant to student learning, “but let’s put a couple more books on the table.”
Candidate Chris Shealy said he shares parents’ concerns about an overreliance on technology, and suggested there should be limits on the amount of time students work online.
“At home, my kids have an hour on the iPad and then it logs them off,” he said. But a one-size-fits-all policy may not be appropriate because “kids learn at different speeds,” he said.
All the questions for the forum were drawn up by River Bluff students, who also led the conversation at each table.
“We met last week to come up with the questions,” said Law Center student Justin Adams. “Our teacher, Mr. Burgess, gets all the candidates to commit, and then we worked to come up with the questions that made sense.”
The students got some assistance in putting together the program for the event.
“We were able to speak to two current school board members who are not up for reelection, so we could get insights into what the board does,” said student Renee Fox. “Then we divided into five groups to come up with certain topics for each round.”
Fox served as one of the facilitators who introduced a topic at each table and kept the conversation on track. She said it was slightly nerve-wracking to be leading a conversation between adults.
“I started off a little nervous, but I got comfortable as we went on,” she said. “For me personally, I had prepared the research questions, so I know what I was talking about, and I felt confident that we were all here to learn and meet our candidates.”
Candidates who took part in the event praised the way River Bluff’s students were able to carry it off.
“I feel like the district needs people to be engaged and involved with their schools, and for students to feel engaged,” said board member Chris Rice. “I love making a difference in the community… it’s not about right or left, it’s about what is the best way to represent the community.”
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