School board candidate Lynn Albert said she was surprised to learn that candidate Gloria Faley had not completed her undergraduate degree.
All of the candidates except Faley have at least a four-year degree, said Albert. "At all the candidate forums, she said that she taught physics and rocketry to students at McDougle Middle School,"she said. "That implied that she had a degree. She issued a misleading statement, but Idon't know whether it was intentional or not."
Faley said she did not complete her degree because she got a job in computer science and was raising a family.
She said there was nothing misleading about her statements and that she had been clear about her position. "I always said that I was a volunteer teacher,"she said. "Istill have kids who remember me as the rocket lady from when they had me in class seven years ago."
Faley said she thought candidates should be judged on their work with the school system. "Iam not surprised that Lynn brought that up,"she said. "My feeling is that a candidate should have some secondary education and a lot of experience in the schools, of which Lynn has none. I know the system backward and forward, and Ihave been in the system for 10 years." Faley said she planned to return to school when her children were older.
A candidate is required to be a resident of the school district and cannot be an employee of the district, said school board attorney John McCormick. A member must also be at least 21-years-old and have a high school diploma.
But Albert said school board members should be held to the same standards as teachers. The district's goal is for 50 percent of all teachers to hold a master's degree or higher, or for 75 percent of teachers with at least 10 years of experience to have a master's degree or doctorate, the district's Strategic Plan states. "At a minimum, school board members should have at least a four-year undergraduate degree, and a graduate degree is preferable."
Of the seven acting board members, all but Valerie Foushee have at least a bachelor's degree.
School board member Elizabeth Carter said that if a candidate met the basic qualifications, he or she should be allowed to hold the position. Candidate Michael Bryan said a lack of a degree should not limit a candidate's chances.
