Ten candidates are vying for three seats in Midland's largest school board race

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – The largest school district in the Midlands with more than 29,000 students enrolled has just seven board members.

Three of those seats are up for grabs in the upcoming elections on November 5.

Current board members Lashonda McFadden and Monica Elkins are running again for their current seats, while board member Lindsay Agostini is not running.

The following ten candidates are competing for the three seats:

Brenda Branic
Franklin Davis
Gary Dennis
Monica Elkins
Dionne Vleesman
Lashonda McFadden
James Mobley
Brett Porterfield
Larry J Smalls
Shelley Williams

WIS News 10 has reached out to all ten candidates for interviews.

Of all ten, only four agreed to a recorded interview, and two others answered a series of questions put to them.

One challenge facing the district that all candidates agreed on is the teacher shortage and retention.

Dennis, who has received endorsements from the South Carolina Education Association, says retaining experienced teachers should be a priority. He states that experienced teachers have been overlooked in the recent adjustment of pay scales.

Davis agreed, saying substantial pay increases should be considered for experienced teachers rather than new teachers. He refers to the most recent adjustment of the pay scale.

“Teachers should be paid well for the services they provide, but I would also like to focus on teacher culture. Ensuring that our teachers are seen and heard from an administrative perspective and that the feedback they provide reaches the decision makers,” said Brett Porterfield.

Porterfield stated that he is committed to transparency and parental input when it comes to the district’s decisions, especially regarding a potential book ban issued by the state.

McFadden proposed alternatives to address the teacher shortage by using artificial intelligence to create lesson plans and computer-generated tests. She said her intention for re-election as a district board member is to work with board members and create solutions for academic performance.

She plans to implement various educational opportunities to engage gifted/gifted children so that all students can be productive citizens based on their abilities. She also plans to work with various stakeholders, such as business owners, government officials, sheriff’s departments, hospitals, transportation agencies, etc., to gather ideas for partnerships.

While candidate Gary Dennis said: “We have not valued our experienced teachers, which will cause an outflow of knowledgeable people who are already teaching, and these new teachers will stay until they get to that step and then say, I’m going to go to another district .”

Dennis has focused his campaign on safety, education and transparency. He said not only does his wife work for the district, but his two children also attend schools in the district. He argues that his family history in education and his experience as a course teacher in the U.S. Air Force make him a viable candidate for the role.

Many candidates have praised the district for its recent installation of metal detectors at some high schools, but some argue that it is needed at every school.

Fleshman, whose children have since graduated from the district, said security measures need to be reviewed in hopes of ensuring safety within the school’s doors.

“See it, say it, no, you’re not a traitor, no, you won’t get into trouble. But you must be vigilant and be part of the safety of those around you. Metal detectors are great, but people can get around them, so we need everyone’s help to make sure we’re safe,” Fleshman said.

Those candidates who did conduct interviews addressed concerns about academic success within the district.

This year’s school report card indicates the district is below the state average. Some suggested more vocational education opportunities, while others expressed concerns about fiscal transparency in the district budget.

Davis, who has taught advanced placement courses for several years, argues that the district will not see higher test scores unless the district addresses absenteeism.

“We must enforce our truancy policy and hold parents accountable for their child’s attendance. As we work on this topic, we must increase accuracy in our classrooms. Our district has education specialists at both the elementary and middle/high school levels. We need these individuals to do more to help teachers implement rigorous materials and model new instructional practices. to help our teachers,” Davis shared.

Brenda Branic, whose grandchildren attend District Two, tells WIS that one of the main reasons she ran for school board concerns the inappropriate number of behavioral specialists and school psychologists, the salaries of classified employees and the disruptions at the school. In addition, she claims to have run a transparent campaign, hoping to focus on fiscal transparency if elected.

“We need to do a little more with budgeting and making things more transparent. I would like to see a fairer distribution of the budget and not just an equal distribution of the budget because not all needs are the same,” Branisch said.

Where the candidates differed, there were potential statewide book bans.

Both Dionne Fleshman and Brenda Banic said that no book should be banned or banned, but that parents should have the final say on what material they think their children should read. While Porterfield and Dennis pushed for age-appropriate materials and a partnership between schools, teachers and parents.

Candidates not named did not respond by deadline for this story, but you can visit the district’s website here to read about their campaign.

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