Randy Scamihorn should become a new face on the Cobb School Board next year since he has no Republican challenger and no Democrat qualified.
Staff/Laura Moon
Staff/Laura Moon
Scamihorn is the only Republican to have qualified to run for the Post 1 seat, now held by Lynnda Eagle, who is not seeking re-election. No Democrat qualified for the seat, which represents northwest Cobb and includes Allatoona, Kennesaw Mountain and North Cobb high schools, so Scamihorn will likely take the seat in January.
But Scamihorn, 62, is not taking it easy.
“I’ve got my business cards and push cards and when I’m out and about, I try to let people know that ‘I’m running for the school board Post 1. I would love to have your support and please vote for me,’” he said. “I’m not a superstitious person, but why take a chance?”
Scamihorn, a retired military officer and educator, has lived in Cobb County since 1978 and said he has been considering running for school board for the last 10 years.
“I grew up really poor and came from a broken home … I’ve been very lucky and fortunate to have people help me along the way, either a teacher, neighbor or businessman give me advice,” he said. “I have a strong desire to give back, and I want to do well, I hope to do well.”
As far as where Scamihorn stands on the issues, he said he believes a revised Strategic Plan should be an improvement over the existing one and that charter schools are good — but only if they are revenue neutral — because they bring competition to the school systems.
The new Strategic Plan, he said, “appears to have greater stakeholder involvement than the previous plan.” The school board is set to approve parts of the new plan, including the core values, mission, vision and goals of the district, on Thursday night.
In regard to the charter schools amendment that will be on statewide ballots Nov. 6, Scamihorn said local districts must realize that the world is extremely competitive, therefore, if a charter school isn’t financially hurting the district, the board should be receptive to providing the best education for kids.
“Having said that, I believe any alternative educational system should be revenue neutral,” he said. “Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case with many of the charter schools opening up around Georgia.”
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missed cogent paragraph writing in school. You only hurt your
cause with this kind of dreck.
and go with a calendar that serves the needs of most of his
stakeholders. On this issue his representation should truly speak
for the majority (of actual stakeholders) in his district. No new
board member should go in with a specific calendar preference
unless he or she has truly vetted the options prior to election.
Knowing Randy, it is likely he will talk to many parents, teachers,
students and administrators on this issue before the election.
I sincerely hope you don't have children. What a loser.
he gets in there and works for the students, teachers and parents
without giving in to the same old platitudes and petty bickering
of the current board and the two previous to it. We need someone
who knows how to tweak the system in favor of its real stakeholders; something the boards of the last 12 years have
been clueless about. We do need a quick turnaround to salvage
what was once an effective and progressive school system.
Darnell and Scamihorn could be important building blocks in
the repair of the structure.
The children and education system are facing very serious issues. The calendar is a ridiculous issue.
I hope he spends the next several months before he takes office studying and preparing.
comment. Time will prove or disprove your statement about leadership. Remember that nobody expected Truman to be a
leader.