A list of tough questions have been prepared for Fort Mill School Board candidates who plan to attend Thursday night’s forum at MorningStar Ministries.
Ten of the 12 candidates seeking a seat on the Board of Trustees will attend and face hard questions from organizers of the public forum. Two candidates, Brandi Jansen and Dr. Nichelle Newton, had conflicts and will not attend, according to organizers.
Candidates will be asked how they will hold the superintendent accountable, what they would do to ensure safe schools and their reaction to the discovery by parents of culturally responsive teaching, pornographic literature and gender identity surveys in schools. Candidates will also address other issues, including how their skills will allow them to contribute to a board that must act as a group in making decisions.
The Fort Mill School Board Candidate Forum is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 6). The event is co-sponsored by The Oak Initiative, Moms for Liberty – York County, and Republican Women Rising. The event is located at MorningStar Ministries, 375 Star Light Drive.
“Attendees will have the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates and engage with the candidates after the event,” said one of the organizers, Michelle Casile.
School board candidates scheduled to attend include Wayne Bouldin, Michele Branning, Connie Cullen, Kevin Glover, Joe Helms, Desareta Jones, Rachele Julian, Eric Mann, Celia McCarter and Lipi Pratt.
A separate candidate’s forum will be held next Tuesday, October 11, at 6 p.m. at Nation Ford High School. On that night, the FMSD Teacher Forum will hold their forum with candidates, an event that includes a meet-and-greet with each of those running for office.
Twelve candidates have filed to run for November’s election to fill four school board seats in Fort Mill, according to filings on the state election website.
The non-partisan election will be held Nov. 8. The three remaining board seats will be up for re-election in 2024.