Palm Beach Post Editorial Board endorsement: Corey Smith for District 7 school board
In terms of knowledge of the Palm Beach County School District and the issues affecting schoolchildren, Corey Smith is the most qualified, experienced and committed candidate in the District 7 School Board race. Smith is the far superior choice for voters in the Aug. 23 primary election.
Smith, 50, a special magistrate for the City of Riviera Beach, grew up in the district, went to school in the district and has children in elementary, middle and high school in the district. He knows the district and it shows.
Smith’s advantage over the other candidates is demonstrated in his service not only on the school district’s Academic Advisory Committee but its Budget Advisory Committee. More importantly, he is “the only candidate who has 20 years of educational law experience, and who continues to practice educational law to this day, providing advice and representation to schools and administrators across Florida.”
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Smith said his priorities include school safety, strengthening the school-to-workforce pipeline, career and technical education, mental health services, arts and music classes and greater outreach to underserved communities.
Fellow attorney Edwin Ferguson, 45, like Smith, grew up here, has children in the district, has been a teacher in the district and runs his own local law firm. Ferguson ran unsuccessfully in 2018 against incumbent Debra Robinson, who is not seeking reelection this time.
Asked to cite his community activities and government appointments, Fergusson listed only being chairman of the Palm Beach County Planning Commission. It's an important position, good for making the political connections evident in his business endorsements but which does not necessarily translate into help for kids.
Ferguson cited “kindergarten readiness” as a priority but when asked to elaborate was unable to drill down, even to acknowledge that some schools have pre-K classrooms and that those should be expanded.
Smith’s straightforward take that Superintendent Mike Burke is “a good fit for the district,” while also citing areas for improvement such as “the diversity of his cabinet,” and “the misstep on guidance to teachers regarding classroom libraries at the end of the school year,” was a refreshing contrast to Ferguson’s political nonresponse that, “I still feel it is still somewhat early to truly rate his effectiveness.”
Also running is Christopher Persaud, 33, a teacher who campaigns partly on opposition to mask mandates and other culture war issues. As the newspaper reported Thursday, in April he campaigned at a gun show.
Smith points to his “heart for defending the community,” adding that he has shown the ability to build consensus and get things done on behalf of children. “I have the experience to improve our school district in a transformative way.”
He has earned that opportunity.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Elections 2022: Post endorses Corey Smith for school board District 7
