Buchanan County Democrats host meet and greet for school board candidates
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The Buchanan County Democrats hosted a meet-and-greet for St. Joseph School District Board of Education candidates running for two open seats.
According to a Facebook post, five of the seven candidates signed up to attend.
“I am very interested in our school system here in St Joe, and so I want to hear what all of our school board candidates have to say and their ideas for the district,” resident Pam May said.
May shared that while she already has a few candidates she may support, she’s keeping an open mind so she can learn more about each candidate and what they bring to the table.
“This is the first candidate forum that I have been to related to the school board, and I know that the redistricting is very divisive and it's difficult to make everyone happy, but I hope they come up with a plan that’s unifying for the district,” May said.
Another community member, Randell Henley, said he enjoyed hearing the different perspectives and seeing both fresh ideas and candidates with experience in education.
“There are a couple of lovely people here who have a lifelong interest in being in front of the kids, and I find that refreshing that they have experience in education,” Henley said.
Henley shared how people who stay in teaching despite low pay and tough conditions have a heart for the work, something he said stood out among several of the candidates at the forum.
Some attendees came mainly to show support for candidates they already plan to vote for. But for St. Joseph High School junior Jacey Jackson, the night was about more than just backing her mom, school board candidate Cassandra Veale.
Jackson said she hopes to see her mom earn a seat on the board so she can help address district issues and better understand the challenges students across the district are facing.
“I am hoping that she can help the district with just making good decisions and getting more information to the public so we can keep everyone informed,” Jackson said.
While she was there to support her mom, Jackson said she also appreciated the chance to hear from the other candidates and see how they might help move the district forward.
