Larson, Andreski, Hicks and Johnson win seats on West Des Moines School Board
Voters in the West Des Moines school district on Tuesday elected a slate of school board candidates backed by progressive political groups and the local teachers union.
Michael Andreski (16%), Elizabeth Larson (18%) and incumbents Jeff Hicks (15%) and Jill Caton Johnson (17%) won the four open seats in the district.
Eight candidates ran for the four at-large board seats: Andreski, Larson, Hicks, Johnson, Laurie Beilstein (9%), Teri Patrick (9%), Aaron Sewell (6.1%) and Scott White (8.4%).
"I'm honored that so many people voted for me, and happy that we have elected people to school board that will allow us to focus on what's going on in this district, instead of being distracted by outside stuff," Larson told the Des Moines Register in a phone interview Tuesday night. "So I'm excited to get to work."
The results come amid increased scrutiny and political pressure toward school boards across Iowa and the U.S., with groups on both sides of the political spectrum weighing in on the nonpartisan race. Tuesday's four winners will serve four-year terms.
The local teachers union recommended the four winners, according to the Iowa State Education Association, and Polk County Democrats had highlighted Andreski, Larson and Johnson in a mailer.
Republican groups in Polk and Dallas counties promoted events on Facebook for Patrick, White and Beilstein.
Patrick, who requested in 2021 that the district be investigated for child pornography over two books provided in schools, was endorsed by the conservative group Moms for Liberty; she has been listed as the education chair for the group's Polk County chapter.
Andreski, 63, said he was running to ensure "that the high level of excellence in our schools continues."
Larson, 40, said that "students learn best when they feel safe and know they belong," and urged the district to continually identify areas where it needs to improve and address student needs.
Hicks, 47, has been on the board since 2019 and currently serves as its president. He called the public education system "the backbone of our country" and said being on the board allows him to help "ensure all students have access to a high-quality education."
Johnson, 51, pledged to support teachers and staff "in raising academic achievement, improving collaboration and trust across the district, and creating positive and safe learning spaces for all kids."
More: 2023 Iowa local election results
When they take office, the board members will navigate a variety of issues, including Iowa's Senate File 496 — a wide-ranging law that orders districts to remove books that contain sex acts and restrict teaching about certain LGBTQ topics. After months of waiting from administrators, the Iowa Department of Education is expected to issue guidance on the law over the coming months, with penalties from the state going into effect Jan. 1.
Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Larson, Andreski, Hicks, Johnson elected to West Des Moines School Board
