Dear editor,

The midterm elections are over, and attention can be focused on the elections of 2016. The Selma municipal election along with school board members will occur in 2016. Good candidates plan their platform and begin to organize their political campaign far in advance of the election month and year.

School board members are crucial in improving the overall quality of education in a community.

There are five common qualifications that most states have in order to be eligible to be a candidate in a school board election. Those include:

1. A school board candidate must be a registered voter.

2. A school board candidate must be a resident of the district you are running in.

3. A school board candidate must have been awarded a minimum of a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency.

4. A school board candidate cannot have been convicted of a felony.

5. A school board candidate cannot be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district.

These are the most common qualifications necessary to run for school board, they vary from state to state.

Wanda Jean Lomax McCall and Mamie Williams Solomon are two excellent candidates for the Selma City Board of Education.  Each has qualifications that far exceed the minimum requirements for a seat on the school board. They are seasoned educators with a wealth of experience in school organization.

McCall’s name has also been mentioned in some circles as a potential candidate for district five’s seat on the Alabama State Board of Education. The addition of Wanda McCall and Mamie Solomon to a school board will ultimately benefit school children. Serving as a school board member is one of the most important responsibilities a person can assume. Both ladies are capable of executing the duties of the position.

I foresee a change in the political landscape of Selma, as a result of the 2016 election.

 

Gerald shirley

Selma