Onslow County elections: Here's who's running for the board of education

Editor's note: The story has been updated to add a picture of Democratic candidate Tanyetta Hill that was sent to The Daily News after the story was published.

With the Onslow County general election a month away, candidates for office are campaigning hard to get your vote on Nov. 8.

Early voting begins on Oct. 20 and incumbent Republican candidate Bill Lanier is running against Republican candidates Angie Todd and Bradley Williams along with Democratic candidate Tanyetta Hill.

Incumbent candidate Lanier is 64 years old and a former exceptional children's teaching assistant of Onslow County Schools. He also retired after 20 years as an E7 Marine Corps veteran who served as a formal school instructor.

Lanier's wife, Mitsuko, is deceased since moving to Onslow County in 1982 and his family lives mainly in the northeastern U.S. Lanier is a graduate of R.L. Putnam Vocational Technical High School (MA) 1975, has an Associate's Degree in Business Administration from Coastal Carolina Community College and a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science from Campbell University.

Todd, 53, is a licensed realtor in North Carolina and Ohio. She is also the Director of the Families of Addicts (FOA) support group started this March in Onslow County. Todd graduated high school in 1987 and obtained her real estate license in Ohio in 2017 and in North Carolina in 2018.

Williams, 41, is a retired Marine and a current associate pastor at North Topsail Shores Baptist Church. He also works for Triple PPP Earthwork, has been married to his high school sweetheart for 23 years and has two daughters aged 28 and 10.

Hill, 38, is a domestic engineer and a retail associate. She is the wife of an active duty Marine who is nearing retirement after an honorable career and the mother to three children who have all attended Onslow County Schools. Hill is also a graduate of Onslow County Schools and graduated from North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Social Science.

What is the best way for voters to contact you?

Lanier: Voters can best contact me at 910-381-4616 or via williamlanier1057@gmail.com. On official board of education matters, I can be contacted at bill.lanier@onslow.k12.nc.us.

Todd: By email at angietoddforonslowcountyboe@gmail.com or 910-545-2668.

Williams: By email at Bnwilliamscampaign@gmail.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bwilliamsschoolboard.

Hill: On Facebook or by email at TanyettaHillforOnslowCountyBoardofEducation@gmail.com.

What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?

Lanier: I've served on the board now for four years applying every body of knowledge I've acquired; being EC classroom teaching and assisting, behavioral healthcare provider, logistics fleet manager, church administrator/treasurer and career counselor to the training, knowledge and research skills required to perform judicial duties, policy development and supervision of the school district via the superintendent of Onslow County Schools.

Todd: I have been a parent for 29 years and have seen the many changes that have taken place in our schools over the years. I attended a seminar in Washington D.C. through Freedomworks in 2021 in which they taught us how to search for Critical Race Theory or more locally Social Emotional Learning and the effects that this has on our children within the school walls. I have been attending and speaking at school board meetings since June 2021 in support of personal choice on masks and various other issues. I have submitted several Freedom of Information Act requests to obtain information from our school administration in regards to student surveys, vendor contracts that supply these surveys, and book lists for all campuses among other items. I have done a lot of research and work already and I have not even taken office yet. I have a passion for fighting for our children.

Williams: I grew up in public education and I am a parent of a fifth grader. I served 20 years in the Marine Corps Infantry where I served on various occasions as a formal instructor and have attended multiple instructor-related academies. Currently, I serve as the associate pastor of North Topsail Shores Baptist Church in Sneads Ferry and serve on the board of a local non-profit called The Master’s Touch which assists families in need.

Hill: I have experienced supporting the county's youth as the vice president of the founding chapter of Young Democrats of Onslow County and a current board member of Aspire Beyond the Obvious Mentor Group.

What do you read to stay informed on issues?

Lanier: I read legislative issues and updates, I follow local and national news, and I review and consult policy on district issues that arise in the performance of my duties and in order to keep parents informed and equipped to navigate the educational needs of their children as well as the needs of all stakeholders throughout Onslow County. I also read the word of God as it's crucial for my moral focus and fairness of judgment.

Todd: I am endorsed by the Education First Alliance and their President is Sloan Rachmuth. Sloan and her team work diligently to keep local communities in North Carolina informed about our current education system in North Carolina, especially involving problematic policies and curricula. I also have many conversations with parents, teachers and community members to understand what they feel our issues are as a community, state and nation. I also researchoften through other resources.

Williams: Multiple different local, state and national news sources including online and TV as well as social media.

Hill: I attend meetings from different committees to make sure that I am up to date with the current issues that are happening around Onslow County. I also have read up on policies from the NCSBA and other credited media outlets.

If elected, what would you do to stay transparent as an elected official?

Lanier: If re-elected, I will continue to make myself available to the public as an elected official for information and guidance to the appropriate sources within the school district to meet their needs. As board members, we are only empowered upon the dius and all we do is a matter of public in that capacity. It is imperative to ensure that that never changes as it is a requirement of the North Carolina General Statute.

Todd: Transparency is extremely important to me. I have already been mailing out letters to the community keeping them abreast of things that I have been working on. I am very active in speaking to community members and organizations to both hear from them and educate them on our current school curriculum and the dangers that may lie within our school campuses. I will gladly welcome anyone’s questions and concerns and work diligently to helpanswer or direct them to where they can find the answers. As a parent that has just recently felt what it's like not to have a voice in the decisions of your own children in regard to their education and medical decisions, one of my priorities is to be transparent with parents, community members as well as voters that entrust me with the position, they have elected me to serve.

Williams: The open meetings help with transparency but I would also like to have occasional town halls.

Hill: If elected, I plan on being in the schools making sure that I am visible and accessible. That means taking trips to the schools and seeing what the need is. That is the only way to truly create policy that will help our educators teach our children, thus creating a system for accountability.

What do you think is the most important issue for the seat you are running for, how do you want to resolve it? How has current leadership addressed the issue?

Lanier: The most important issue is to develop and adhere to policy the superintendent can implement that makes managing education seamless amid highly competitive social issues and the requirement for student safety which policy has to aggressively address in practice. The current leadership has begun vigorous policy review to meet current issues and legal requirements and established and maintained a solid partnership with law enforcement and the district attorney to address safety issues.

Todd: School safety is one of the most important issues. As we know, in the last two weeks a child died in an unfortunate incident at Northside High School. I would research where there may be gaps in our policies and procedures and keep that at the forefront of how we proceed in order to protect our students on campus. Secondly, our curriculum that is currently in place with the Social Emotional Learning that is currently mandated in all 12academic standards in North Carolina needs to be examined and potentially revised or terminated. Thirdly, I want to rebuild trust and communication with parents and community members in regard to any issues or concerns they have with our current administration.

Williams: Multiple issues need continued attention. Trust in the school system as a whole has suffered from national issues. Teacher and staff shortages are an ongoing battle. The county is growing at a rapid pace so school space, as well as maintenance, is always a challenge.

Hill: The most important thing for the seat I am running for is to strengthen public schools in Onslow County. I plan to do that by listening to and supporting teachers and school staff and encouraging parent and student support and involvement. The current leadership has had a very tough road during the pandemic and I applaud their efforts. However, I do feel that it is time for a change. We can no longer have people who represent our children’s best interest who openly admit they are not here for the children. We must ensure that we are voting for the right candidate no matter what the party affiliation or who is the best person for the job. We must be the change we want to see.

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Onslow County elections near, meet the candidates for Board of Education