Meet the candidates for Bethel School District board of directors
With the 2023 special election coming May 16, seven candidates are vying for the three positions up for grabs on the Bethel School District Board of Directors. Those elected will join the seven-member board.
Bethel is the third largest district in Lane County, with more than 5,000 students enrolled.
All three positions are at-large, meaning residents in the Bethel district can vote for all three positions. The Bethel district spans from the northwest region of Eugene out toward the coast.
Position 3
Candidates: Incumbent Greg Nelson, teacher Curt Nordling and accounting supervisor Leena Earnest.
More about Greg Nelson
Nelson, 66, grew up in Auburn, California, and moved to Eugene in 1989. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley, his master's degree from the University of Montana and his Ph.D from the University of Oregon. He has been serving on the Bethel board for 24 years.
Currently, Nelson is a research analyst at the UO's Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Nelson does not have any children currently in the Bethel district, but all three of his daughters graduated from Willamette High.
While on the board, Nelson said, he has helped push a focus on equity and inclusion in the district.
Nelson has helped organize bonds that saw the construction of Prairie Mountain K-8, Kalapuya Alternative High School, Malabon and Fairfield elementary schools, and a new science building at Willamette High. Also under construction with bond support is the new Cascade middle school, additional classrooms at Kalapuya and a dedicated career technical education building at Willamette High.
"There is really nothing I would change about how our board governs," Nelson said. "We work really well together and always with an eye to what is best for the kids."
If reelected, Nelson said he'd like to push for more state funding to help address class sizes.
"I offer experience and continuity, am open-minded and listen to all perspectives," he said.
More about Curt Nordling
Nordling, 43, grew up in Beaverton. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Oregon State University. After graduating from OSU, he moved to Eugene where he has been for the past 19 years.
He has been a math teacher at Willamette High since moving to Eugene and has two children who attend Meadow View School. Nordling is also vice president and lead negotiator for the local teachers’ union, the Eugene Education Association.
Nordling said he would bring the perspective of a Bethel teacher and educator to the board.
“What we have never had on our board is an actual K-12 public school educator,” he said. “That voice needs to be part of the conversation when we make decisions about the experiences offered to our students and staff here in Bethel.”
If elected, he said, he would focus on setting clear behavior expectations for students, improving academic rigor and directing more money to classrooms, particularly in keeping class sizes as low as possible.
“We need to end the practice of lowering academic standards all while touting high graduation rates," Nordling said. "We need well-rounded education that has proactive supports for those that show signs of need, access to academically challenging courses (especially for those that are historically disenfranchised in our community), and to continue Bethel’s strong focus on our more than a dozen CTE pathways at Willamette High School."
More about Leena Earnest
Earnest did not respond to The Register-Guard's inquiries. According to Earnest's campaign filing, she is currently a corporate and client trust accounting supervisor.
Earnest is endorsed by the Kids for Success PAC, which has a profile for her. The Kids for Success PAC is in favor of parent and student-centric education, advocating for more parental input and voice in the school board setting.
The PAC also wants to see higher test scores and proficiency with more emphasis on core subjects. They support politics- and ideology-free schools.
"Parents are responsible for the ethical and psychological upbringing of their children, not the government and public schools," the PAC states on its website.
According to the PAC profile, Earnest intends to bring new energy to the board while "abstaining from polarizing bias, politics and special interest agendas that have the potential to harm student education needs and outcomes."
Earnest has one school-age child, according to her profile.
If elected, she would focus on the foundational priorities of quality education, school safety and fiscal responsibility. She stated she'd like to see students challenged and successful. She'd like to see the voices of students, parents, educators and community members heard.
Position 4
Candidates: Real estate agent Erin Basinger and city employee Daniel (Drae) Charles.
More about Erin Basinger
Basinger, 39, has been living in Eugene since she was 7. Basinger attended Bethel schools throughout her academic life: Danebo Elementary, Malabon Elementary, Cascade Middle and Willamette High.
She previously worked in auto insurance adjusting with her family for 13 years, but has been working in real estate since earning her license from Lane Community College in 2016. Basinger has four children. One attends Malabon Elementary and two attend Willamette High. Her oldest son graduated from Willamette High School.
She began participating in the Parent Teacher Organization at Cascade Middle School in 2015 and has been an active parent volunteer in Bethel schools. Basinger has volunteered with the Bethel Boosters and was president of the Willamette Touchdown Club for five years. She has also been on the Bethel budget committee since 2020.
Basinger said she could bring a new community voice to the district, connecting with the students and their families.
"Being a parent and an alumni gives me a broader perspective because I hear firsthand from my kids, their friends and families what is important to them," Basinger said.
Basinger would like to focus on student mental health and finding ways to bring the community together if elected. She has admired the board members' commitment to advocating for Bethel youth, and she would like to be a part of that work.
"Working with kids and families in my community has been a lifelong journey. I have the advantage of having children in the district and listening to them and their peers," Basinger said. "Being a student and now a parent in the district gives me a great advantage in doing what is best for our community and for our kids.
More about Daniel (Drae) Charles
Charles, 31, grew up in Sacramento, California and moved to Eugene in 2013. He studied at Bushnell University in Eugene.
Charles works for the City of Eugene as the human rights and equity analyst. He previously worked at the Lane County Youth Services as a juvenile justice specialist. He is also the current program coordinator for the Black Student Union at Eugene School District 4J.
Charles does not currently have any children in Bethel, but soon will. His oldest child is 3 and beginning to engage in local youth programs.
If elected, Charles would like to push for greater community partnerships, more organized support for educators and fostering student belonging in schools.
"(I want to) make schools a place that all feel welcomed, supported, and where students can define themselves and their vision for success," Charles said. "We are seeing so many gaps that have arisen as we’ve exited the pandemic, particularly around social-emotional learning and student behaviors around hate, bias and discrimination. We must get ahead of these challenges before our students fall victim to our failures."
Charles said he would bring several unique perspectives to the board being a Black man in a predominantly white space, a person living with a disability and someone who was previously unhoused.
He added that his experience working with vulnerable populations in his professional life would help prepare him to empower students. He said his lived experience would be his greatest strength.
"It matters — our kids, our community, our educators, all of these pieces deserve a strong and safe environment that allows all students, regardless of identity or background, true belonging and opportunities," Charles said.
Position 6
Candidates: Incumbent Robin Zygaitis and financial licensing coach Scott Chatham.
More about Robin Zygaitis
Zygaitis, 39, grew up in Eugene and has been living in the Bethel community for more than a decade. She earned her bachelor's degree in economics from Oregon State University. Since then, she has worked in technology.
She has two children enrolled in Bethel, one in elementary and another in middle school. She was first elected to the board in 2019.
In her four years on the board, she helped pass the bond that is now expanding programs at Kalapuya High School, building a new CTE building at Willamette High School and constructing the new Cascade Middle School.
She is currently the vice chair on the board.
"I have championed the creation of a new Bethel strategic plan, considering the input of students, staff, families and our Bethel community," Zygaitis said. "I have proven to be an effective and considerate board member and know I will continue to serve our students well."
If reelected, Zygaitis would seek to foster an inclusive school environment, provide curriculum that is engaging and relevant, support teaching methods that are responsive to learners, create increased access to physical and mental health services, and emphasize CTE courses.
Zgygaitis said her educational background in economics, public resources and governments allows her to understand the funding and budgeting process at Bethel.
"I have roots in this community and an understanding of our needs," she said. "I have proved that I am a collaborative board member willing to listen to others, learn from experts and make moves that benefit Bethel students."
More about Scott Chatham
Chatham did not respond to The Register-Guard's inquiries. According to Chatham's campaign filing, he works for Primerica Financial Services.
Chatham is endorsed by the Kids for Success PAC, which has a profile for him. The PAC supports the concept of politics- and ideology-free schools. He attended Arizona State University.
According to the PAC profile, if elected Chatham would focus on academic excellence, transparency and school safety. He believes the COVID-19 pandemic and online learning have harmed students
"We must focus on teaching kids 'How to think, not what to think,'" his profile states. "When you set high expectations you receive better results."
Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Meet the candidates for Bethel School District board of directors
