TOLEDO, Ohio — In the Nov. 7 election, Toledo voters will fill two seats on the Toledo Public Schools board.
Two incumbents -- Sheena Barnes and Randall Parker -- are seeking re-election. They say they're just getting started fighting for what the district needs.
Two challengers -- Jason Sobb and Zach Mercer -- also are seeking seats on the school board.
Barnes said school funding is an important issue to her.
"Definitely asking and advocating for fair funding to make sure we meet the needs of students in our district, and make sure we continue to welcome all in our district is very important to me," she said.
Parker said he is focused on school district employees and the larger community.
"We make sure that our teachers and administrators feel important, and that the work they're doing is necessary. Engaging families, engaging communities, and telling them that the work they're doing is important as well," he said.
During their time in office, TPS has scored a 2.2 out of five on Ohio's most recent statewide school district report card. That is lower than average for area schools, but TPS scored a four out of five in the category of progress, exceeding expectations.
"Yes we have received a 4 on progress, but even that '2' doesn't tell the full story," Parker said. "We have achieved very much advancing ourselves from years past to make sure our district is competitive."
But Sobb, a retired business owner and one of two new candidates for a board seat, said he's running to change the direction of the district. He said he is concerned about issues that include the teaching of critical race theory.
"Right now CRT is a thing," he said. "I think diversity, equity, and inclusion are a thing, but they're being instilled wrong. Just programs like that, 1619 Project, we're trying to tell younger generation that they don't need to know any of that stuff, we're just raising them to like everybody."
However, Barnes said neither critical race theory nor The 1619 Project are part of any Ohio school curriculum.
WTOL 11 reached out to the fourth candidate, Zach Mercer, multiple times, requesting an interview. We were not able to get in touch with him.
Also, one issue complicating this year's school board election is that three of the four candidates are not on the ballot. Only Parker's name will appear on the ballot when voters go to the polls. Barnes, Sobb and Mercer are running only as write-in candidates.
However, the three candidates to whom WTOL 11 spoke said they are confident voters can navigate the write-in process and will support them in the race.
"All I can do is my work so far has gathered support for me to win another four years when they write me in," Barnes said.
"I've met plenty of parents who have taken their kids out of TPS and brought them to Sylvania or Perrysburg, and I want to change that," Sobb said.
"They need someone on the board who is really focused on student centered decisions, and I'm that guy," Parker said.
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