Sarasota School Board candidates answer questions at forum

Four Sarasota County School Board candidates participated in a moderated forum Thursday, answering prepared and audience questions ahead of the Aug. 23 election. 

The candidates answered questions from the forum moderator and Sarasota Tiger Bay members on several topics. District 1 candidates Bridget Ziegler and Dawnyelle Singleton participated, as well as District 4 candidates Lauren Kurnov and Robyn Marinelli. 

Located at Michael’s on East, the event was attended by about 300 people, including all incumbent school board members and a number of other local elected officials.

South County Tiger Bay Club previously held a candidate forum May 20, but only Ziegler, Marinelli and Tim Enos attended.

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Here is what the candidates had to say about various issues:

Improving educational outcomes

Sarasota County saw third-grade reading scores drop again, according to a district release sent last Friday. The candidates presented their strategies to start improving educational outcomes for the county’s students.

• Ziegler: Re-focus board business on academics and not politics.
• Singleton: Make up for lost instruction due to COVID-19 with spring break enrichment activities and summer learning academies.
• Kurnov: Increase teacher pay and hire more teachers to decrease class sizes which in turn creates more personalized instruction.
• Marinelli: Increase emphasis on school counselors, retain and attract high-quality teachers with better pay. Re-focus board business on academics and not politics.

Shrinking the achievement gap between white and minority students

• Ziegler: Focus on teacher retention, improve support for teachers and ensure conversations with families are happening at the school level.
• Singleton: Focused on COVID-19 as a compounding factor in the achievement gap. Said improving access to services such as after-school care and early education programs could offer solutions.
• Kurnov: Hire teachers who have social capital in the communities they teach in and can reach diverse students.
• Marinelli: Improving resources and support for teachers. Involving families and school staff in educational decisions.

School safety and active shooter situations

There has been an increased focus on school safety following recent mass shootings, including one which left 21 people dead at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. All candidates expressed confidence in the safety of Sarasota County Schools.

• Ziegler: Sarasota Schools should be a safe but inviting learning environment. Every school has a single point of access and adequate fencing. 
• Singleton: The district can improve mental health resources and emphasize social and emotional learning to help kids who are struggling.
• Kurnov: Sarasota Schools are safe. She credited previous measures such as single point of entry, fencing, and red flag laws as good mitigation tactics.
• Marinelli: Sarasota Schools are safe, and building relationships with parents at schools and resource officers is a proponent of keeping them safe.

“Don’t Say Gay”

Florida’s parental rights and education law, often referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, has become a hot-button issue for educators, parents and administrators across the country. The law prohibits instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third-grade classes.

In Sarasota, Pine View School’s class president used his curly hair as a euphemism for being gay in his graduation commencement speech. Zander Moricz, 18, said he felt the school’s administration would cut his microphone out if he mentioned activism against the bill.

• Ziegler: The law will be significantly beneficial to students and refocus schools on actual education and not social agendas.
• Singleton: Teachers don’t have time to go to the restroom, let alone put different agendas on students.
• Kurnov: The law is a distraction to real education. It’s a solution in search of a problem.
• Marinelli: Why do kids this age need to be taught about sexual orientation or gender identity?

Money and politics in the School Board elections

All candidates cited a need to make the School Board less political. However, more than in previous elections there has been an increased focus on campaign fundraising. In 2010, the District 1 race raised $26,176 across all candidates. In this election, Singleton and Ziegler have combined for $154,767 raised with months left until the election.

Kurnov has raised by far the most money of any candidate on the August ballot with $150,050. Marinelli, her opponent, has raised $43,100. Singleton and Ziegler are much closer in their campaign fundraising, at $82,003 and $72,764 respectively. 

• Ziegler: Increase in money shows greater focus on schools from the community and the country. The money reflects the passion seen from parents. 
• Singleton: Fundraising is important to cut through the noise. People want to see change, which is reflected in the donations.
• Kurnov: Proud of the monetary support she’s seen and said it reflects her broad coalition of support. She emphasized that the process is very transparent and contributions are all public record.
• Marinelli: It’s absurd that it would cost that much to run for local office, but it is necessary.

Public comment during School Board meetings

Community members have come in large numbers to Sarasota School Board meetings to sound off during public comment. Recent flare-ups caused a meeting to be adjourned early, and a woman was forcibly removed from another meeting. Tensions come as critics of the changes to public comment policy said it restricts their First Amendment rights.

• Ziegler: The passion of parents is understandable, but there has to be a process for public comment. People should be able to sound off, however, and the board should alleviate some of the pressure by letting people talk.
• Singleton: She said she won’t stand for drama or theatrics at meetings. The people at the meetings represent a very vocal minority.
• Kurnov: Everyone needs to have a seat at the table, but the board still needs to conduct its business. Members need to be problem-solving, collaborative and empathetic to the concerns of the public. 
• Marinelli: Public comment needs to reflect the concerns of parents, but the business of the board still needs to be done. Gaining back the trust of the community will help so people don’t feel the need to come to a Board meeting to comment.

Position on charter schools

• Ziegler: There must be transparency from the schools, but ultimately it is up to the parents. Should be focused on the educational outcomes from the charter schools above all.
• Singleton: In favor of public charter schools under the purview of the district. Against for-profit charters and voucher private charter schools.
• Kurnov: In favor of charter schools with public oversight, and it needs to offer something that differentiates itself from what’s offered in the district’s public schools.
• Marinelli: In favor of public nonprofit charter schools, but needs to fill a role. She referenced the Sarasota Military Academy as an example.