Scott City school candidates raise safety, bullying issues

Bullying, safety and students getting overlooked in terms of academics or extracurricular activities are among the biggest challenges facing the Scott City public school system, according to candidates running for the school board.

Erica Huffman

Voters will decide among five candidates in the April 2 election for two, three-year terms on the Scott City School Board.

Bekky Underwood

There also is a contested race for Scott City Ward 1 council member. Incumbent Michael G. Ellison is challenged by Kenny Page.

Racquel Dannenmueller

School board contest

School board member Gary Miller is seeking re-election. Board member Gary Elders is not seeking re-election

Besides Miller, those running are first-time candidates Erica Huffman, Bekky Underwood, Timothy Lowery and Raquel Dannenmueller.

Miller, who worked in operations management for a railroad before retiring, serves as vice president of the school board.

In response to a candidate questionnaire from the Southeast Missourian, Miller wrote school safety remains a major challenge because "schools are soft targets."

He added children need to be protected regardless of the cost.

"I plan to continue to make sure that safety and a quality education is No. 1," he wrote in an email to the newspaper.

Miller wrote he wants to be re-elected to serve "our kids."

He added he wants to ensure school district staff have the tools needed to "teach, hire and promote the best."

Dannenmueller sees the district's biggest challenge as "bullying and family factors."

"I have a kindergartner this year at Scott City and another daughter starting in about a year, and these are the things as a parent that I worry about," she wrote in response to the questionnaire.

A coordinator for special needs children at the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence, Dannenmueller wrote that many children in the district are "struggling daily" to rise above poverty and the environment in which they live. "I feel like all children deserve equal opportunities and we as leaders need to help them."

Dannenmueller wrote that community leaders, parents and teachers together can build solutions to "break these challenges."

Huffman, a Read to Succeed tutor, believes the district faces a challenge when it comes to providing "the best opportunities" for all students.

She wrote in an email "some students get overlooked, whether that be academically or extracurricular."

Huffman wrote that the school district may need "new staffing, amended policies and addition of new programs" to address the issue. She did not detail any specific policies or programs.

Huffman wrote she wants to serve on the school board "to help make Scott City School a school that gives its students any and every opportunity they need for their futures."

She added, "I have a huge heart for our town, our school and our students."

Neither Underwood nor Lowery identified a specific challenge facing the district.

Lowery, a UPS driver, praised the current operation of the school system. "There is nothing I see that I see as done wrong," he told the Southeast Missourian in a phone interview.

Lowery, who coaches youth sports, said he is running for school board in order to help the students.

He described himself as a strong supporter of the school district.

"What is best for the kids is always in my mind," Lowery said.

Underwood, a real estate broker, wrote in an email she wants to serve on the board because "I love this community and I love this school."

Underwood, who has two children in the school system, wrote she is "invested in the success" of all students, teachers and administrators in the district.

"The success of one largely depends upon the others," she wrote.

She added, "I genuinely care for the success of this school. I am a leader and not a follower. I am ethical and I have integrity."

She wrote, if elected, she would always vote "in the best interest of all parties involved, even if I am a vote of one."

Ward 1 race

In the municipal contest, Ellison, the incumbent, declined to answer questions from the Southeast Missourian regarding his candidacy.

Page, his challenger, works for SEMO Ready Mix, but plans to retire this year.

"I just thought I would give it a shot and see what it is like," he said during a phone interview.

Page said the city needs to address storm drainage problems. Main Street floods in places during heavy storms, he said.

Overall, Page said "the city is running smooth."

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641