HENDERSONVILLE — Three of the four GOP candidates for seats on the Henderson County Board of Education urged party harmony and shared their ideas for improving schools during a breakfast meeting of the Henderson County Republican’s Men’s Club on July 13 at American Legion Post 77 here.

The candidates in attendance were recognized and allowed to speak briefly, after which club President Bruce Hatfield moderated a lengthy question-and-answer session with the 80 or more attendees at the meeintg.

As Hatfield noted to the attendees, the top four vote-getters in the November election “will get elected, as there are four seats open.” (There are three Democrats vying for school board seats, too.)

The candidates attending were Robert Bridges, the sole incumbent for the Republicans; Amy Lynn Holt, who formerly has served on the school board, including as chair and vice chair; and Beth Campbell, a GOP activist-leader who leads volunteer school programs in the Mills River area. 

 A fourth GOP school board candidate, Kathy Regis, was missing from the meeting because, as Hatfield noted, “she is getting radiation treatment.”

Before each speaker gave introductory remarks, Hatfield prompted some laughter when he said, “The good thing is everyone’s running partisan, so you’ll know who the ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guy’s are” — by the “R” or “D” after each name listed on the ballot.

Speaking first, Campbell said, “COVID taught us a lot... Our kids did come first from day one... No matter what happens, public education will always be important…. We’ve lost a lot of freedoms. We need to get them back!”

Next, Holt spoke at length, noting that she

had served as on school board previously,

including as the former chair and former

vice chair.

“COVID almost did me in,” she said, noting

that it prompted her departure from the

school board.

“After the break (the pandemic’s ending), I

was ready to get back in it” on the school board.

At that point, Holt said, “Our school

system is fantastic. We need to push conservative

values.” Speaking of her and her

husband, she added, “We have four children.

.. We’ve been active in the community for

years and years. I’m on a lot of nonprofit

boards. To be honest that’s about the toughest

thing I do — keeping a conservative

voice in the nonprofit arena...

“I’d like to serve on the school board

for four years... The (supreme) court has

just issued an important ruling — that our

daughters can be protected in bathrooms and

locker rooms….”

Holt also mentioned that she returned a

monetary gift from the Men’s Club “because

my budget is (already) set. It was an amazing

thoughtful gift. I wanted it to go back for

something else.”

The third and last speaker to give introductory

remarks was Bridges, the lone

incumbent, who began by discussing his

previous experience as an educator around

Henderson County.

“It’s been a pleasure to serve on this

school board for the last four years. I’d like

to thank Amy (Lynn) Holt for her effort serving

on the school board” in the past.

Addressing statistics, Bridges noted that

Henderson County “is the largest employuer

in this county.”

He also said that “ we are the 27th largest

(public school) system in the state — and

the second largest system in Western North

Carolina. ..We are 38th in the nation in average

teacher pay. Our starting salary is around

$38,000 (or more) per year. We have a large

budget. Lots of things are being looked at

in this coming year — especially with the

growth we’re having in Henderson County.”

Bridges concluded by noting that our

(school) board members — once a month —

visit one school in the county… Our teachers

are amazing. The classrooms — once you

walk in, you see the (excited) looks on the

children’s face.”

During a Q&A that followed, an unidentified

man said, “We’re proficient at 27

percent at math, reading and science. That’s

not acceptable. As candidates, what are you

going to do about it? You talk about the Henderson

County schools being great, but that’s

not great. The scores from elsewhere are

much better — they’re eating our lunches.”

In response, Campbell said, “I agree with

you. Part of the problem is North Carolina is

testing our children to death. With COVID,

they’re pushing these kids through. There’s

a lot to do with our curriculum that I think

needs to be changed....

“In a lot of these schools, we need to go

back to the basics. For me personally, I want

to be involved with the teachers. I can tell you

now that there is a lot of curriculum in which

there is much that they don’t agree with.”

Holt said, “What we’re seeing here in

Henderson County is a Board of Education

voting for masks, time and time again, four

years ago. And Robert (Bridges) was right

there next to me, trying to take the masks

off. Our board — Robert, Jay (Egolf) and I

constatnly voted to remove the masks, but

everyt time, the three of us were outvoted

4-3. Of course, our kids are back (in school).

They missed so much. Our curriculum in

North Carolina needs to change. The common

core of math needs to change ...

“When I said ‘excellent,’ I meant the majority

of the decision-makers are conservative

and vote for conservative values. But the main

thing is, it’s going to take us years to get our

kids caught up here in Henderson County.”

Following Campbell’s and Holt’s lengthy

answers to the questioner’s challenge,

Bridges waved off giving a reply in an

apparent attempt to keep the Q&A session

moving along.