2014 Election coverage
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Only three people formally applied for the District 3 state school board seat in the seven months it sat vacant, before former judge and 2013 Dayton mayoral candidate A.J. Wagner applied for and was appointed this month to finish the seat’s current term, according to documents released by Gov. John Kasich’s office.
At the turn of the year, Dayton’s Jeff Mims resigned from the post, which represents more than 1 million people in Montgomery, Miami, Butler, Preble and part of Darke County. The state school board makes K-12 education policy, sets graduation requirements and decides what standards and tests Ohio will use.
Lifelong educator Mary Jane Roberts, now a Talawanda school board member, applied but then withdrew after meeting with state officials in March, saying it wasn’t the right fit for her. Sinclair Community College grant coordinator Jana Fornario applied in March and was interviewed, but had only been an Ohio resident for 10 months.
The third applicant, Mary Pritchard of West Chester Twp., applied in late January and said she’s frustrated that the post sat vacant for seven months, citing Ohio law requiring the governor’s office to appoint someone to fill the spot within 30 days. Pritchard is president of the Butler County Educational Service Center.
“The people of our district went without a representative for that long, and then the day before the deadline to file petitions to run for office, the governor appointed Mr. Wagner,” Pritchard said. “I don’t understand the timing of that as far as serving the people. That sounds like politics. … And somebody with my experience — I’ve been school board president 11 years — didn’t get appointed. I’m baffled.”
Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said the governor’s office does not comment on why applicants are passed over.
Wagner’s appointment is for the rest of 2014, and in November, residents will elect a District 3 representative to a full four-year term for 2015-18. Pritchard will run against Wagner in that race, as will Charlotte McGuire of Centerville and Sarah Roberts of Vandalia.
“I am qualified — I have an education degree, I’m a former teacher and I certainly have been following education for the last several years,” Wagner said. “I’m sure the governor’s office looked at all those things, and I’m grateful for the appointment.”
Mims was the only black member of the 19-seat state board when he resigned to join Dayton City Commission, but there were no black applicants to replace him, according to the state documents. Nichols had publicly asked for black candidates to apply in June.
“I’m disappointed,” Mims said, citing the board’s need for “someone who has some appreciation for the challenges that all children go through who are in the situation of poverty. … And not just understand it yourself, but have the background and experience to be able to persuade others, and give examples.”
Wagner said he’ll focus on education opportunities for poor and minority children. McGuire, who did not apply for the vacancy but is on the ballot in November, is the only black candidate for the post.
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