ST. GEORGE — It is final exam season for Washington County School District schools, and candidates for Washington County Board of Education are also being put to the test. Most recently, answering community questions on guns in school, transgender students in athletics and pornographic books in the library, all at a luncheon at the Abbey Inn hosted by the Washington County Republican Women.

Three seats on the school board will be up for election on Nov. 5, 2024. The primary scheduled for June 25 was canceled after Districts 1 and 3 each only offered two candidates, negating the need for a primary.

The group’s president, Haylee Caplin, organized the panel discussion on May 2. It featured five candidates: Heidi Gunn and Larry Meyers for District One, Craig Seegmiller for District Two and Ron Wade and Cindi Shields for District Three,  and

The school board districts are divided up to represent specific zoning areas.

District 1 covers Santa Clara, Ivins, Dammeron Valley, Veyo, Gunlock, Central, Pine Valley and Enterprise, or the mostly northern and rural parts of the county. This seat is currently held by Becky Dunn.

District 2 encompasses the western half of St. George, including the northern Bloomington and Tonaquint areas, which elected David Stirland last cycle and will see the unopposed Seegmiller take his place.

District 3 includes the southern parts of St. George down to the Arizona border, covering SunRiver and the southern regions of Bloomington and Bloomington Hills, currently held by Terry Hutchinson.

The candidates often agreed with one another at the luncheon, with the only dissenting opinions reflecting their diverse backgrounds, ranging from school teachers to businessmen.

Each candidate assured the crowd of over 50 that they were the best person for the job. Attendees submitted questions on notecards, which Caplin narrowed down to eight for discussion.

Current Washington County Board of Education member Seegmiller told St. George News that new members are always welcomed with open arms by their contemporaries.

“We’ve all been the new guy once,” Seegmiller said. “My advice would be to come with a desire to help and help kids. Don’t come with an agenda.”

He continued to say that the voice and perspective that new members bring is a huge benefit.

Each candidate was given a chance to introduce themselves and summarize their views during a brief opening statement round.

By the evening’s end, it became evident their backgrounds were the most substantial difference between candidates, with many of the subsequent questions eliciting similar, if not intentionally echoing of other panelist’s, responses.

Gunn cited her extensive involvement in local schools and her role as a mother of eight, advocating for strong parental involvement in education.

Seegmiller presented his conservative philosophy and his background as a university-level math teacher.

Meyers focused on his experience as a legal professional and a lifelong local resident.

Shields shared her experience as a STEM teacher and mentioned her diverse educational background, including her work with refugee children and her understanding of the challenges posed by local growth.

Wade discussed his business background and experience on many different boards, stressing the application of his business acumen.

Key moments

Some responses were received more warmly than others, some answers receiving applause and others, like from Meyers, receiving laughter.

Seegmiller’s moment came when asked about tax policy.

“I’ve voted no on every tax increase the entire time that I’ve been on the school board,” Seegmiller said.

Seegmiller’s status as both a current Washington County Board of Education member and a candidate running without opposition gave him the unique opportunity of having more knowledge than other panelists who have yet to serve on this board.

Meyers’ came in his concerns about liberal ideological influences in education, linking them to broader societal trends, citing protests about the war in Israel as an example.

“Some students are out protesting and committing acts of violence and property damage,” Meyers said. “I’m pretty confident that those were once public school kids. They learn that type of thing at a very young age.”

Gunn addressed the issue of class sizes and teacher retention.

“I have one classroom with 18 students, one with 30 kids and one with 32 kids,” Gunn said. “The one with 32 kids is the most difficult to teach because there are so many children in it.”

This was the only question Gunn answered as she excused herself due to a prior engagement.

Shields emphasized her commitment to ensuring that school materials are suitable for students of all ages, while noting she will be retiring after this year.

“Our library has safeguards in place that parents get emails whenever a student checks out a book,” Shields said. “We’re supporting parents and what they want their children to read and see.”

Wade spoke on the importance of teaching students to think critically.

“I want to make sure that the education, as I’ve heard some say, is teaching them how to think, not exactly what to think,” Wade said.

Below are answers from a handful of the eight questions posed to the candidates.

Regardless of the question, the discussion often found itself returning to how best to handle the whole school district’s budget.

Wade used the opportunity to describe his business experience in detail.

“I’ve spent my life and my career in international financial matters,” Wade said. “I’ve dealt with budgets around the $400 to $500 million range.”

Ideological policies were also often at the forefront with questions about gun safety in schools, and protests to the war in the Middle East at colleges across the country drew passionate responses.

Meyers spoke to those right-wing, anti-progressive ideologies within the context of schools.

“As Republicans, as conservatives, we’ve got to draw the line,” he said. “We’ve got to understand what’s coming. We’ve got to have plans and we’ve got to put policies in place to prevent them from taking hold here.”

Seegmiller’s knowledge of current county policy was unmatched, though the same could be said for his ability to humanize every issue.

“The best and the brightest are simply amazing,” Seegmiller said. “But there are kids whose first requirement is not ‘How do I learn math today?’ It might be, ‘Man, I’m hungry and I wish I’d gotten breakfast.’”

Hot-topic quotes

Topics like critical race theory and gender education were also present. Candidates like Meyers and Wade expressed a need to safeguard “traditional” educational values and ensure that curricular decisions reflect local community culture.

Meyers on collegiate protesting of the conflict in Israel: “If you’ve been watching the news, these students that are college students that are out protesting and committing acts of violence and property damage. I’m pretty confident that those were once public school kids.”

Gunn on funding: “I think one of the things that we need to make sure we have is properly funded education within the limits and the tolerance of a community.”

Seegmiller on staving away non-conservative ideas: “We live in a great place. But we’re not isolated or insulated from some of the challenges that come. Socioeconomic issues are a challenge.”

Wade on his ability to bring a fresh perspective: “I believe that equity should exist in the form of equality, not by mandate.”

Shields on her prior experience giving her a better understanding:

Those teachers that we have in Washington County do an incredible job showing up every day and teaching our students and helping them to become better citizens and better people. And we need to find ways to help them.

Addressing disparities in student achievement and resource allocation across the district was another recurring theme. Candidates discussed the necessity of supporting both high-achieving students and those who struggle, with an emphasis on tailoring educational strategies to meet those diverse needs.

Closing remarks

Seegmiller reflected on his experiences and ongoing dedication to the district, emphasizing his goal of continuing to serve the community effectively.

Gunn spoke passionately about her desire to advocate for parents and teachers, ensuring that their voices are heard and their concerns addressed in board decisions.

Shields reflected on the encouragement she received from a respected colleague, who inspired her to run for the school board, especially as she approaches retirement. She said that this new job would be an ideal transition.

Meyers and Wade both underscored their commitment to conservative principles in education, promising to uphold and protect the values that they believe are foundational to the community’s success.

Future events in the election cycle will include additional forums and community interactions for a myriad of positions, hoping to provide more opportunities for voters to gauge each candidate’s capabilities and approaches.

Caplin said the school district holds meetings monthly.

“Our goal is to keep the public informed,” Caplin said. “We’ve had the US Senate and the governor candidates. Our motto is to be informed, be united and be involved.”

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