Orange school-board candidates address partisanship, book decisions, state funding and religious opt-outs at forum

A forum featuring five candidates for the Orange City School District Board of Education on Wednesday centered on four issues voters cited as priorities: the role of partisan endorsements in a nonpartisan race, whether board members should overrule teachers or librarians on classroom or library materials, how to respond to state-level funding changes, and whether students may be excused from class during the school day for religious instruction.

The candidates introduced themselves and their qualifications, then answered community-submitted questions. Several emphasized that the board’s decisions should be student-centered and that professional educators should generally lead curriculum and material choices.

Why it matters: Voters will choose a new board member in November; the candidates’ approaches to politically charged topics such as book challenges, state education funding and accommodation for religious practices reflect tensions many Ohio districts face as state lawmakers consider new education policies.

Most candidates said endorsements do not change their priorities. Julie Lawrence, an accountant and parent, said she is running “for all our children” and added, “I’m not a politician. I am a parent,” to explain why she seeks to keep decisions focused on student needs rather than partisan agendas. Several other candidates said they sought endorsements to gain resources or signal preparedness, but stressed the office is nonpartisan and should focus on students.

On authority over books and classroom material, candidates uniformly said day-to-day decisions should be made by certified educators and administrators, not individual board members. Lawrence said parents should not tell teachers how to teach, and Dr. Taylor Nash, who holds a doctorate in education, said the board should not create policy without listening to the educators doing the work. One candidate summarized the governance chain: the board hires a superintendent who hires curriculum staff and librarians, and complaints about materials should follow established review guidelines.

The candidates discussed recent state legislation and what they called an “attack on school funding,” urging voter engagement and advocacy. Rebecca Boyle, a retired educator and behavioral health therapist, highlighted the district’s recent finances and academic performance, noting the district “consistently rank[s] among the top districts” under the Ohio Department of Education report card and that the district has not requested a general operating levy since 2011. Boyle said the district reduced taxes in 2023 by retiring 2.2 mills of bond debt while pursuing a 1.5-mill request.

Several candidates described outreach plans to keep parents informed about state-level bills and potential impacts on the district. Dr. Nash said she has held multiple neighborhood listening tours and described bringing a nonpartisan group, Honesty for Education, to inform voters. One candidate urged voters to contact state legislators and use their ballots to influence education policy.

On the question of excusing students from class for religious instruction, candidates pointed to existing board policy and state law that allow limited opt-outs. One candidate said district policy recently was extended to permit a student to miss more than one period for religious reasons; under that policy, students remain responsible for missed work and must make up time. Candidates said accommodations are handled case by case and emphasized the need to honor religious diversity while complying with law and district rules.

The forum concluded with one-minute closings. Candidates emphasized experience, fiscal stewardship, equity and a pledge to prioritize students if elected.

Speakers at the forum included Julie Lawrence (candidate), Rebecca Boyle (candidate; retired educator), Dr. Taylor Nash (candidate; education/equity consultant), Mr. Lycan/Likin (candidate — name spelled both ways in the transcript), and one other candidate who spoke about long service and endorsements (unnamed in the transcript). Mayor Klein and Anna Girardi were organizers and moderators for the event.

No formal board actions or votes took place at the forum; the event was a candidate forum for voters to compare positions.