A pair of candidates vying for seats on the school board spoke Friday to the Scotland County Democratic Women.

The event was part of a series of meetings featuring politicians seeking seats as Democrats or competing in a nonpartisan election.

Mary Evans, an incumbent seeking reelection to her Stewartsville Township seat on the Scotland County School Board, and Charlie Fipps, a challenger for one of two At-Large seats, spoke to partisan group

Next Friday, the Democratic Women will host the two Democratic candidates for Scotland County Sheriff – incumbent Shep Jones and challenger Mike Webb – along with school board candidate Paul Rush.

Fipps

Charlie Fipps, a former school board member, said he's seeking office for the children.

A local business owner and former teacher in Scotland County Schools, Fipps said local residents have an obligation to its youth.

"I think that what we do with children is the most important responsibility we have," he said. "We have to be accountable for our actions because we affect children."

The way to affect change in students is through local support for teachers, he said.

"We owe our public schools a lot. Our teachers are being forced into situations they don't like, I see the troubles they have."

One issue he has with schools it that too few teachers come from Scotland County, or even North Carolina. Instead, the school system brings in teachers from other states.

Fipps suggested the county work harder to home grow its teachers.

"If you want to do the right thing for this community, put your support behind the teachers to raise the best citizens possible for our future because kids are our future."

He also said school board members needed to stand behind its policies and the superintendent, a change he feels will create a "healthier system."

Evans

Mary Evans, current vice chairman of the school board, said she is seeking to keep her seat because she wants to improve learning conditions for Scotland students.

"I am passionate about the children of Scotland County," she said. "I do want to see them get the best education that they can get. I want them to be in safe environments, healthy environments, environments where they can learn and thrive."

She told the group that there was a gap in the local educational system, with some county schools ranking among the lowest performing schools in the nation.

Part of the issue was the lack of measurable goals that could better ensure accountability, Evans said.

"If reelected, I will push for the administration to followup on the teachers and make sure they are consistently engaging the students in the classroom... Teachers need to let the students know that there are expectations of them and that they are coming to school for a purpose."

She also said the school system currently lacks a culture sensitivity to students, where teachers and students simply do not bond because of a lack of diversity among the teaching staff.

"We can turn that scale around, from us being on bottom to use being on top."