Manatee School Board District 2 Runoff Election: Harold Byrd Jr. v. Cindy Spray

Of the three Manatee County School Board seats up for grabs in August's primary, only one seat and two candidates remain undetermined ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

The race for the District 2 seat, which encompasses an area roughly west of Interstate 75 and north State Road 64 ending near Palmetto, has candidates Harold Byrd Jr and Cindy Spray competing in a runoff from the primary.

Neither Byrd nor Spray achieved 50% of the vote in August, as Susan Agruso garnered 25.6% of the vote while Byrd and Spray saw about 36% and 39% respectively.

Byrd has slightly outraised Spray in campaign contributions as of Oct. 24. He had $37,828.96 compared to Spray's $26,365.

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Harold Byrd Jr.

Byrd, 62, is a lifelong Manatee County native and a Bradenton city councilman from 1989-95 and 2007-21. He graduated from Manatee County schools in District 2, and his mother Ruby Byrd once served on the Manatee County School Board.

He said his experience and roots in District 2 make him the best candidate for the seat, and he feels his time living in the district gives him the perspective to make the best decisions for those he would represent.

"I bring homegrown perspective, with the historical facts and history of the area, to the table, as well as the service that I've given over the years," Byrd said. "Always being that fair-minded individual, serving all the people, not just serving one."

Byrd, a registered Democrat, said he wants to create a transparent, equitable school district that focuses on local issues, not just "rubber-stamping everything that comes from Tallahassee." He said the governor's increased involvement in local school issues and subsequent endorsement of school board candidates, including his opponent, are indicative of a political takeover of local school boards.

If elected, he said he wants to focus on addressing gaps in equity through community outreach and increased funds for pre-kindergarten programs. As someone who sat on a city council, he said he brings the experience to make a difference from the start.

Byrd said he feels the voter base in District 2 favors his candidacy and he expects higher turnout.

"Whether we can move forward on day one ... the voters will have a clear choice," Byrd said. "I just hope that they choose my candidacy."

Cindy Spray

Spray, 66, moved to Manatee County in 2008 and has a background in accounting at PepsiCo. She said she is a parental rights-focused candidate who has been endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A registered Republican, Spray said she's honored by DeSantis' endorsement, and she agrees with his education agenda, which has become a campaign point as the governor seeks re-election. She said she sees herself as a "grassroots, non-partisan" candidate.

"I think I'm the grassroots candidate of choice because I support keeping schools open, and to educate — not just graduate — and not indoctrinate," Spray said.

She said that education has veered too far from the basics, and would seek to bring it back to the basics should she win. She said she's been speaking to voters to earn the support of those who didn't chose her or Byrd in August.

"I don't go up to people and say, 'Hi, I'm Cindy Spray. This is what I stand for,' I say 'Hi, I'm Cindy Spray. I'm running for School Board, what would you like to see changed?'" she said.

She said she wants to specifically represent the taxpayers on the board. While students and teachers are the main focus, she said many taxpayers with no students in the school system have no voice.

"There's so many people that have relocated here that do not have kids or grandkids in the system, but they pay taxes; they should have a voice and how our tax dollars are spent," Spray said. "Hopefully I can be that voice."

On the issues

Critical race theory

Critical race theory is a graduate-level academic principle that asserts that racism is more than prejudice towards marginalized groups, but rather that it is systemic in the U.S.'s laws and institutions.

Byrd said he sees the debate about critical race theory as a "red herring" in education. A graduate of law school at Florida A&M, he said he saw the concept at that level. However, it's not taught in K-12 schools, he said.

Spray said she sees the concepts from critical race theory permeating into K-12 education despite its explicit absence from the curriculum. She pointed to the Stop WOKE Act, a law signed by DeSantis that bans the teaching of critical race theory in Florida K-12 schools.

"If you're bringing in something that the governor has been banned, or does not support, you're actually injecting your own opinion into the education system," she said.

Parental Rights in Education Act

The Parental Rights in Education Act (HB 1557) was dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by critics and signed into law by DeSantis. The law states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

Spray said the teaching or inclusion of gender identity or sexuality concepts at the K-3 level is "harmful and abusive."

"Whatever is going on in a teacher's personal life is their personal life, I do not feel that that kind of thing should be brought into the classroom," Spray said. "I don't believe any of the transgenders or the sexual identity things should be introduced to our children in a classroom setting."

Byrd said the law is "moving backward" and is an attack on the LGBTQ+ community. The issues of gender identity and sexuality are not taught at the K-3 level, he said, and Republicans are using them as buzzwords and political points to drive voters.

"We have to be very careful that our educational system is built upon educating our kids and we have to make sure that we're giving them the best education possible," he said. "We can't be hung up on trying to ban books for all of the wrong reasons, just because it's something that's popular politically."

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Manatee County School Board District 2 election preview