ORLANDO, Fla. – Teachers, students and parents have witnessed schools across the state and nation endure change, controversy and tragedy all within the span of a year.
Now, Central Florida school board candidates are gearing up for the state’s 2022 primary election, running on platforms that address everything happening in education from school safety and COVID-19 protocols to book banning and new laws introduced in classrooms.
[RELATED EDUCATION STORIES: Here’s what teachers, students can expect under Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law | COUNTY BY COUNTY: What schools in your district are doing to keep students safe]
Within the state, Florida classrooms have been restricted by new laws that place restrictions on how subjects like sexual orientation and race are handled.
The Parental Rights in Education law introduced and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, dubbed by critics the “Don’t Say Gay” law, prohibits the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms, and where appropriate, sparking questions—and even lawsuits—among parents, teachers and students about how exactly the legislation will be implemented.
Critical race theory, which deals with race-related education, has also come under fire in Florida, resulting in a burgeoning list of banned books that education and state officials claim are either covering “prohibited” topics or outdated.
[RELATED ELECTION STORIES: Trying to decide what Florida candidate to vote for? These guides may help | VOTER GUIDE: What you need to know for the 2022 Florida Primary]
Across the nation, districts are coping with the latest school shooting during which a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, at Robb Elementary School.
The tragedy brought concerns about school safety center stage and introduced new ways to keep children and teachers safe in classrooms.
This all comes as the conversation around COVID-19 protocols in schools continues as counties wait for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue updated recommendations.
In any school board race with three or more candidates, the winning candidate has to get 50% of the vote plus one vote to avoid a runoff election in November. If there is a runoff election, the top two candidates would face off.
Below you can find more information on each individual school board district candidate featured on Central Florida ballots this election season.
A breakdown of those running in Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia district races is featured below.
Brevard County
Brevard County School Board District 1
Misty Belford (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
Megan Wright – Find out more about this candidate here.
Brevard County School Board District 2
Erin Dunne – Find out more about this candidate here.
Courtney Lewis – Find out more about this candidate here.
Shawn Overdorf – Find out more about this candidate here.
Gene Trent – Find out more about this candidate here.
Brevard County School Board District 5
Katye Campbell (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kim Hough – Find out more about this candidate here.
Flagler County
Flagler County School Board District 1
Sally Hunt – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jill Woolbright – Find out more about this candidate here.
Flagler County School Board District 2
Lance Alred – Find out more about this candidate here.
Will Furry – Find out more about this candidate here.
Courtney VandeBunte – Find out more about this candidate here.
Flagler County School Board District 4
Christy Chong – Find out more about this candidate here.
Trevor Tucker – Find out more about this candidate here.
Lake County
Lake County School Board District 2
Tyler Brandeburg – Find out more about this candidate here.
Ludy Lopez – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jim Miller – Find out more about this candidate here.
Lake County School Board District 5
Marie Haubert Aliberti – Find out more about this candidate here.
Stephanie Ann Luke – Find out more about this candidate here.
Peter E. Tarby – No website or social media page for this candidate was found.
Marion County
Marion County School Board District 2
Lori Conrad – Find out more about this candidate here.
Joseph Suranni – Find out more about this candidate here.
Marion County School Board District 3
Eric Cummings – Find out more about this candidate here.
Steve Swett – Find out more about this candidate here.
Marion County School Board District 5
Sarah James – Find out more about this candidate here.
Taylor Smith – No website or social media page for this candidate was found.
Orange County
Orange County School Board Chair
Demensio Barton – Find out more about this candidate here.
Carl Brewer – Find out more about this candidate here.
Teresa Jacobs (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
Orange County School Board District 1
Angie Gallo (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
Rachel L. Kirby – Find out more about this candidate here.
Orange County School Board District 2
Heather Ashby – Find out more about this candidate here.
George Collins – Find out more about this candidate here.
Maria Salamanca – Find out more about this candidate here.
Chad Aaron Spence – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jose A. Vicente – Find out more about this candidate here.
Orange County School Board District 3
Michael Daniels – Find out more about this candidate here.
Alicia Farrant – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kila Murphey – Find out more about this candidate here.
Susanne Marie Pena – Find out more about this candidate here.
Dennis B. Smith – Find out more about this candidate here.
The Orange County ballot also features the following question concerning an ad valorem millage tax for the district’s schools:
Orange County School Ad Valorem Millage
The School Board of Orange County, Florida Ad Valorem Millage Election: Shall the School Board of Orange County, Florida, continue the current one (1) mill ad valorem millage for essential operating expenses, including compensating teachers and support staff, preserving academic programs, arts, athletics, and student activities, beginning July 1, 2023, and ending four (4) fiscal years later on June 30, 2027, shared proportionately with charter schools as legally required, with annual reporting to ensure proper fiscal stewardship of these funds to the citizens of Orange County?
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Yes for Approval
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No for Rejection
News 6 breaks down what the ballot question means HERE.
Osceola County
Osceola County School Board District 1
Jennifer Arguello – Find out more about this candidate here.
Teresa “Terry” Castillo (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
James L. Nickles – Find out more about this candidate here.
Osceola County School Board District 4
Mindy Brewster – Find out more about this candidate here.
Will “Coach” Fonseca – Find out more about this candidate here.
Heather Kahoun – Find out more about this candidate here.
Osceola County School Board District 5
Erika Booth – Find out more about this candidate here.
Debbie Mann – Find out more about this candidate here.
Polk County
Polk County School Board District 3
Sarah Fortney – Find out more about this candidate here.
Rick Nolte – Find out more about this candidate here.
Polk County School Board District 5
Terry L. Clark – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kay Fields – Find out more about this candidate here.
Polk County School Board District 6
Sara Estelle Jones – Find out more about this candidate here.
Justin Sharpless – Find out more about this candidate here.
Polk County School Board District 7
Lisa Miller – Find out more about this candidate here.
Dell Quary – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jill Sessions – Find out more about this candidate here.
Seminole County
Seminole County School Board District 1
Deborah Bauer – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kristine L. Kraus (Incumbent) – Find out more about this candidate here.
Seminole County School Board District 2
Sean Cooper – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kelley Davis – Find out more about this candidate here.
James Evans – Find out more about this candidate here.
Eric Monte – Find out more about this candidate here.
Seminole County School Board District 5
Dana S. Fernandez – Find out more about this candidate here.
Autumn Garick – Find out more about this candidate here.
Joshua Memminger – Find out more about this candidate here.
Agar Quinones-Aristone – Find out more about this candidate here.
Sumter County
Sumter County School Board District 1
Sally Moss – Find out more about this candidate here.
Leslie Russell – No website or social media page for this candidate was found.
Sumter County School Board District 3
Gerald “Jerry” Loomer – Find out more about this candidate here.
David A. Williams – Find out more about this candidate here.
Sumter County School Board District 5
Chris Hileman – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kathie L. Joiner – Find out more about this candidate here.
Volusia County
Volusia County School Board District 1
Albert L. Bouie – No website or social media page for this candidate was found.
Georgann K. Carnicella – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jaclyn Carrell – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jamie Haynes – Find out more about this candidate here.
Virginia “Ginny-Beth” Joiner – Find out more about this candidate here.
Volusia County School Board District 3
Justin Kennedy – Find out more about this candidate here.
Kim Short – Find out more about this candidate here.
Jessie Thompson – Find out more about this candidate here.
Volusia County School Board District 5
Ruben Colon – Find out more about this candidate here.
Fred Lowry – Find out more about this candidate here.
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