Stand for Children endorses 8 school board candidates

Stand for Children has endorsed a slate of Shelby County school board candidates, six weeks before the Aug. 7 election, as part of its efforts to promote local school reform. According to its website, all four of the school board candidates that it supported in the 2012 were elected. This is one of the first school board endorsements by a major non-profit or business in this election.

Stand for Children has supported educational reform issues such as using student scores in teacher evaluations, promoting the Common Core and authorizing charter schools. Its endorsements emphasize candidates’  stances on reform issues, their relevant skills and the dedication they have demonstrated.

Endorsed candidates:

District 1—Chris Caldwell, a Stand for Children member. “His business and finance expertise brings a focused insight to the board to ensure our dollars are well spent.” District 3—Teddy King and Stephanie Love. It endorsed two candidates in this race because, “Teddy and Stephanie are active and involved parents for both their children and all children in the community.” District 5—Scott McCormick. “While Executive Director of the Plough Foundation, Scott served on the Teacher Effectiveness Initiative (TEI) Advisory Board, so he understands the need for effective teachers and leaders in our schools.” District 6—Shante Avant. “She works every day for the Women’s Foundation to improve the future prospects of all women and children in our community.” District 7—Miska Clay Bibbs. “As a former administrator for the school system, she understands the challenges the administration faces.” District 9—Roshun Austin. “In her work in community development, she has built houses, supported home buying, advocated for neighborhoods, and, just recently, oversaw the opening of a community market in South Memphis. She also has experience in the classroom, as a former educator.”