19-year-old Aidan Haggard outlines school funding, civics-education platform at Medina candidates forum

Aidan Haggard, a 19-year-old recent graduate of Medina High School, told viewers at a Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce and Medina TV candidates forum that he is running for the Medina City School Board of Education on a platform of fiscal responsibility, expanded civic education and strengthened literacy programs.

Haggard said he wants the district to be "financially responsible" and more transparent about spending, and to press state legislators on unfunded mandates. "I am only 19 and I did just graduate from Medina High School," Haggard said. "I'm running for school board here in Medina City. A proud Medina B. I am a recent graduate class of 2024." He described a goal of improving the district's state-report-card metrics, including raising the district to a 5 out of 5 overall score on that measure.

Why it matters: The Medina City School Board sets local policy that affects classroom curriculum, district budgeting and superintendent hiring. Haggard framed his campaign around both local budgeting choices and advocacy at the state level, saying local action must be paired with state legislative change on funding.

On school funding, Haggard told the forum that property-tax burdens in Ohio are pushing some residents to move or downsize. He said the average home in the Medina City School District is appraised at about $375,000 and that homeowners are paying roughly "$390 $400 a month" to the schools on that property. He argued for making property taxes "reasonable" while also ensuring taxpayers see value in district spending and said removing property taxes without a clear replacement could shift the burden to sales or income taxes.

Haggard described unfunded state mandates as a particular challenge: "Unfunded mandates are very difficult. We are going to have to deal with them," he said, and argued the district should either secure funding from Columbus for mandates or be given discretion not to implement them. He said part of his role on the board, if elected, would be to meet with state legislators to press for funding or flexibility.

On curriculum, Haggard emphasized civic education. He said he wants students to learn what he called "the American story," describing the Founding Fathers' principles from the Declaration of Independence and saying the district should teach those principles along with both the country's achievements and its shortcomings. He also said he supports age-appropriate curriculum and stronger literacy: "I want to make sure that all of our students are able to read and learn what is required of them," he said, recounting prior volunteer tutoring experience.

Haggard told the forum he intends to pursue transparency in district finances and noted specific academic targets: raising college- and workplace-readiness scores and literacy measures that he said currently are rated a 3 out of 5 on the state report card. He said that, if elected, success would be measured by improvements in those metrics and by leaving a legacy of increased civic engagement.

The forum was introduced by Jacqueline Rinkzmeyer of the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce and Jared Frey, general manager of Medina TV and the city’s public information officer. The candidates forum recorded that contested races were invited to participate and that opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Medina TV or the Chamber.

No formal actions, votes or Board of Education decisions took place during this forum; it was an informational candidate appearance rather than a governing-body session.