CCSD's District 20 School Board Candidates

As the P & C has so carefully told us while it bashes Park Dougherty, a major force behind the success so far of the Charter School for Math and Science (CSMS), three candidates have submitted petitions for District 20's one seat on the CCSD School Board--the incumbent, Toya Hampton-Green; Marvin Stewart, who has been an active member of the District 20 constituent board; and Robert Russell, who has contributed to the formation of CSMS. Even though we're still in the dog days of summer, the educrats at 75 Calhoun and CCSD Board President Hillery Douglas have already made their choice clear: the incumbent. They've also made it clear that, proposals to the contrary, they intend to PLAY POLITICS in order to get Hampton-Green reelected.

Let me state that I do not know, nor have I ever met (as far as I know), any of the three candidates or their families, do not reside in District 20, have no children or relatives with children that are in the district schools, and do not have the time to participate actively in political campaigns. Nevertheless, I'm an interested resident of Charleston County who will be voting in November. My opinions of these candidates are based on watching taped CCSD Board meetings, reading P & C articles, and contemplating what I have found on both the Web and my blog's comments section. I do pay attention to what happens in CCSD.

With that caveat in mind, here's what I see so far concerning the three candidates.

Toya Hampton-Green (THG): has strong ties to the Democratic party in Charleston County. Her husband ran against state Sen. Robert Ford in the Democratic primary and lost with only 25% of the vote, even though he managed to raise and spend more money. Here's what I said about them in April:

"[. . .] the Greens have been enjoying the perks of being Charleston's young black 'power couple.' Toya's election to the school board after representing CCSD for a local law firm was well bankrolled by local Democrats, and she won despite lack of support from District 20, the constituent district she represents (oops, I mean the one she lives in, since she claims that she represents the WHOLE county). Strangely enough [sorry, the sarcasm just slipped through] the Greens' child was a winner in Buist Academy's "lottery." Readers of this blog will understand that we are using the word "lottery" loosely here."

Although her husband is a native of Charleston, THG is not. She has consistently supported the agenda of the Meyers-Douglas voting bloc and rarely speaks at its public session. The Greens live in a newly developed area of District 20, not in one of the old neighborhoods.

Marvin Stewart (MS): maybe the most vociferous chairman of the District 20 constituent board ever. Has been described as a "former teacher and downtown-schools activist." Stewart has watched the treatment of District 20 like a hawk and has not wavered in challenging the School Board in its decisions concerning Buist, Charleston Progressive, Fraser, etc. He has also supported the development of CSMS. I surmise that he is a graduate of Burke High and a native of Charleston (and District 20). Maybe some readers can supply further information.

Robert Russell (RR): a professor at the College of Charleston who has been involved in the development of CSMS (although I don't know the details). Has four children who may or may not be in CCSD schools now. Obviously an advocate of charter schools but his views on the rest of District 20 and CCSD School Board shenanigans remain veiled so far. Not a native Charlestonian as far as I can tell, but certainly his courses on architecture sound interesting. Students rate him as tough but brilliant. Here's the information from the CofC website:

Robert Russell
Professor, Architectural History/Urban Design
Director, Historic Preservation & Community Planning Program

Courses:

ARTH 245 Introduction to Architecture
ARTH 260 Addlestone Seminar on the Arts and Culture of the Lowcountry
ARTH 265 The City as a Work of Art
ARTH 335 History of American Architecture
ARTH 394 History of 18th and 19th Century Architecture
ARTH 395 History of 20th Century Architecture

BA, Southern Illinois
Ph.D. Princeton University

From these descriptions regular readers of this blog know already with whom I am muy simpatico so far. That would be Marvin, of course.