The Eagle Recommendations: Recommendations in Bryan School Races

Eagle Editorial Board

Local voters face six contested city council and school board races in he May 9 balloting, and a full slate of 17 candidates -- perhaps the most qualified group we have seen locally in a long time -- filing for those positions. There are two uncontested races for Bryan City Council.

In addition, College Station school district voters face a $144.2 million bond issue for construction of a second high school, an eighth elementary school and a transportation center. And, Bryan residents will be asked to vote on four amendments to the city's charter, including one generated by a citizen petition drive, and a referendum on selling a small piece of park land no longer accessible to the public.

The Eagle Editorial Board met with all 17 candidates, with College Station school district officials to discuss the bond issue and with Bryan city officials to talk about the proposed charter changes and the referendum to sell the land. We spent about an hour with each one, asking questions and eliciting answers of a wide range of issues pertinent to each race or issue.

Today, we make our recommendations. Our recommendations are but one source of information voters should consider when going to the polls. Other sources might include voter guides, candidate forums, news stories, campaign advertising and literature, and the recommendations of friends and co-workers.

Early voting begins Monday and runs through May 5. A list of early voting locations and times appears at left.

Perhaps the most watched race of the May city and school elections is the one for Single Member District 4 on the Bryan school board. Four well-qualified candidates are running for the seat now held by Bema Johnson, who decided not to run after a spotty record of attendance at board meetings.

Here are The Eagle's recommendations in the two Bryan school board races.


Single Member District 4

James Edge vs. Jeff Goehl vs. Kelli Levey vs. Marilyn Scamardo -- As is sometimes the case, the race for Place 4 gives voters a choice of candidates who are so qualified, so involved in education that it is difficult for us to select a person to support. We suspect voters will have the same problem.

The scion of an old-line Brazos County family, Edge returned to the community from Houston several years ago, specifically to enroll his children in Bryan's Johnson Elementary School. Three years ago, he was a member of a citizen committee to help redesign school attendance zones in connection with the opening of Rudder High School and Davila Middle School last August. He and others on the committee refused to back down when some members of the school board acted with hostility toward their recommendation. The board narrowly overruled the committee's recommendation. He said he has no agenda, but wants to use district income more wisely and re-examine the issue of safety in the schools. While he was on the committee, Edge said he attended every school board meeting, and has attend three or four more in the past year. He is active in the Johnson Elementary School and Jane Long Middle School PTOs.

Bryan native Goehl ran last year for an at-large seat, losing to longtime Trustee David Stasny. He was motivated to make that race because of what he perceived was poor treatment of a child with special needs. Since then, he has immersed himself in school law and policies, becoming a certified advocate for families with children with disabilities who need more than what area schools are eager to do. He thinks Bryan schools need to energize the career tech program, beefing up those that exist and looking at new ones to offer. He also thinks students should be taught how to prepare a résumé and fill out a job application before they graduate from high school. Goehl has attended most school board meetings for the past two years.

Levey has been involved with public education for the past 18 years since she moved to Bryan to become school reporter for The Eagle, a position she held for 10 years before moving to other positions. When her son entered Johnson Elementary School, Levey became active in the PTO and other school activities. She has been a HOSTS mentor in the schools for 16 years and has served on a district-wide parent leadership team for the district. Levey notes that she has kept up with education law and policy in her former role as a reporter and current position as a writer with the Texas A&M University. She said she wants to ensure that the Bryan district continues to offer a variety of opportunities for its diverse student population. She wants to see more programs for high-performing students. Levey said the district needs to do a better job communicating with parents and others in the community. She has attended 10 school board meetings in the past year and, before that, about three or four per year since she stopped covering schools for the paper.

Like Edge and Goehl a product of Bryan schools, Scamardo became an elementary music and second-grade school teacher in Bryan and later in The Woodlands, Fort Bend and Galveston school districts. She retired after 26 years and moved back to Bryan last fall. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in education. She is a strong supporter of arts education in the schools. She feels the schools should hire a fine arts director and increase its arts offerings as funds become available. Scamardo also wants to encourage more partnerships between the schools and private business. She has two children, including one who attends St. Joseph Catholic School in Bryan. She has attended one school board meeting since returning to Bryan.

Only the voters of Single Member District 4 can cast a ballot in this race. They would be well-served by any of the four candidates. Levey has the strongest background in public school education. Our support is not because she used to work for The Eagle -- where she gained much valuable experience and knowledge about public education -- but because of the depth and breadth of her public education background. If elected, she needs to be willing to stand up to the district staff and other trustees, ask the tough questions and disagree when dissent is called for.

The Eagle recommends a vote for Kelli Levey in Single Member District 4 on the Bryan school board.

At-large Position 7

Trustee Merrill Green vs. James Street -- It takes a lot of chutzpah for a political unknown to challenge Merrill Green, one of the most beloved people in Bryan, but Street has a lot of confidence in his abilities to effect change on the Bryan school board. He says he has an affinity for children with special needs and those who are disadvantaged. The district should strive to help homeless students as much as possible, he said. An advocate for the Hooked on Phonics program, Street thinks it can be used to great benefit by special education students. He said the district must do more to more quickly identify and help children with dyslexia. Street said taxes should be reduced, but that existing programs should neither be trimmed nor eliminated. He has attended one school board meeting in the past year.

Green was head football coach at Bryan High School from 1972 until 1991, when he retired. He is completing his ninth year on the school board, during which time he said he feels he made a contribution. He said he is seeking a fourth term because he is concerned that not enough good people run for school board. Despite his athletics background, Green says he is a strong supporter of the arts, and the Bryan school district must do a better job focusing on them. Green misses very few board meetings.

This is an at-large position, meaning every voter in the school district may cast a ballot in the race.

Street is passionate about his race and his love of children, but Green has a proven record and has served the people of Bryan well, both as a teacher and as a school trustee.

The Eagle recommends a vote for Merrill Green for the at-large Position 7 on the Bryan school board.