By JOHN NORTH
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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.
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