The Faith Coalition for the Common Good and the League of Women Voters of Illinois Springfield Area will host a virtual forum for Springfield District 186 school board candidates from Subdistricts 5 and 6 at 6 p.m. Thursday.
There are contested races in those subdistricts in the April 6 consolidated election while two other incumbents are running unopposed.
The forum will be moderated by Jim Leach, the news and program director at WMAY-AM.
Each term is for two years. In 2023, all seven seats will be up for election, reflective of the 2020 census.
In Subdistrict 6, three candidates are vying for an open seat due to the retirement of Judith Johnson, who has served on the board for the last 20 years.
In a sometimes contentious and spirited District 186 school board meeting Monday, some members openly questioned the transparency of the administration especially around COVID-19 data.
A particular issue was a meeting two board members J. Michael Zimmers and Micah Miller had Friday with several teachers who professed concern about safety issues in their schools and a lack of details being shared with them.
An email listing those concerns in part prompted a correspondence from Superintendent Jennifer Gill Sunday that gave a more exact and detailed set of COVID-19 cases per school, something Gill promised she would be furnishing publicly on the district s website.
By WMAY Newsroom
(Springfield Education Association / Facebook)
Springfield’s teachers union has made its endorsements in this spring’s school board elections… opting not to endorse two incumbents who are seeking new terms.
The Springfield Education Association is endorsing challenger Buffy Lael-Wolf over incumbent Tiffany Mathis in subdistrict 5, citing her status as a parent in District 186 and her background in pediatric medicine. The SEA also chose not to endorse Anthony Mares, even though he is running unopposed in subdistrict 1, saying Mares did not align closely enough with the union’s values and goals.
The union did endorse incumbent Mike Zimmers for another term… and is supporting Erica Austin over two challengers for the open subdistrict 6 seat. Election Day for school board and other local races is April 6
Depending on the office, candidates file at the Sangamon County Clerk s office or their jurisdictional office.
Meanwhile, at least one area school board will have a major shakeup.
Three incumbents from the Ball-Chatham School District have decided not to run again.
Vice president Susan Worley and Dr. Brandon Maddox are bowing out after two four-year terms on the board while Srinivasan Srini Durairaj is leaving after two two-year terms.
Clerk Don Gray said a lottery to determine which candidate goes to the top spot on the ballot in seven different races will be held at the his office at 10 a.m. Dec. 28.
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