This week on Intersection: Three candidates in Columbia are running for two seats open on the Columbia Public School’s Board of Education ... and voters will decide between the three candidates in the municipal election April 2nd.
The Columbia Public Schools district is the seventh largest in the state, with 21 elementary schools, six middle schools and four high schools ... and with more than 18,000 students total.
Though there are three candidates, there will be four on the ballot next week. One candidate, Brian Jones, dropped out of the race but because of drop-out deadlines he remains on the ballot.
Della Streaty-Wilhoit, Jay Atkins and Blake Willoughby are the three candidates running ... and three KBIA producers sat down to talk with them about their platforms, their goals for education in Columbia and how their previous experience would impact their service if elected to the board.
In this edition:
- Producer Kassidy Arena talks with Della Streaty-Wilhoit about how her family has shaped her as an educator, as a mother and now as a candidate.
- Producer Seth Bodine talks with candidate Jay Atkins about what motivated him to run for school board and how his previous experience working in government would impact his work in education.
- Producer Sideny Steele sits with candidate Blake Willoughby for a chat about how being a current Ph.D student and teacher at MU has shaped his views on education.