Three candidates push for Debra Robinson's open seat on Palm Beach County School Board
Three candidates are vying for the only Palm Beach County school board seat that’s not guarded by an incumbent.
Debra Robinson, a school board member for more than two decades, decided not to run for re-election, making way for Edwin Ferguson, Christopher Persaud and Corey Michael Smith – candidates with different backgrounds and views on education.
Teacher found guilty: Westward Elementary teacher found guilty of misdemeanor over mask wearing
Ferguson v. Robinson: School Board 7 election: Robinson defeats Ferguson to win 6th term
2022 races: Who is running for Palm Beach County School Board? Inside the crowded August races
Four districts – 3, 4, 6 and 7 – are up for grabs this year, and all Palm Beach County voters, regardless of party affiliation, can vote in the nonpartisan school board elections if they live in the district being decided.
Board members serve four-year terms and are elected on a rotating basis.
Candidates face off in August primary
Candidates will face off in the primary election Aug. 23, and if nobody garners more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in the general election Nov. 8.
The Palm Beach Post performed a criminal background check on every candidate for school board, including the incumbents. The Post is reporting any criminal charges filed and the outcome of the cases since January 2012, even when they did not result in a conviction.
Want more education news? Sign up for ourExtra Credit weekly newsletter, delivered every Friday!
The Post also reviewed the candidates’ social-media profiles and provided a questionnaire to learn more about their priorities and qualifications.
The candidates below – listed in alphabetical order, using the names that will appear on voters' ballots – are running to represent eastern West Palm Beach and Riviera Beach as the board’s District 7 member.
Edwin Ferguson
Age and residence: Edwin Ferguson, 45, lives in West Palm Beach.
Platform: Ferguson aims to better prepare high school graduates for employment, entrepreneurship or further education in college and vocational schools, investing in the school-to-work pipeline in hopes of dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. His other priorities include improvements to kindergarten readiness, greater school safety measures, a more inclusive education for students with special needs and increased financial support for teachers and non-instructional employees.
“There’s a deficiency in the number of children who are ready to excel from Day One,” he said. “We have to fix that. If we don’t, we'll have a greater number of people who are unemployed, underemployed or having issues with the criminal justice system. These are things we can’t tolerate if we’re going to make Palm Beach County and each respective city the best they can be.”
Professional history: He works as an attorney at The Ferguson Firm, an office he founded in Riviera Beach. Ferguson previously worked as a teacher at Suncoast and Palm Beach Lakes high schools.
Education: Juris Doctor from Barry University and an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of Central Florida.
Children in the district: Ferguson has a child in the Palm Beach County School District.
Social media presence: For several years, Ferguson has used his personal social media to share his attendance at community events, and to share news about education and the legal industry.
Criminal history: The Davie Police Department arrested Ferguson on a charge of driving under the influence in 2012. The charge was reduced to reckless driving after he pleaded no contest and resulted in six months of probation. He declined to comment on the case.
Media coverage: Ferguson appeared in print and television news during his 2018 school board campaign against incumbent Debra Robinson, who maintained her seat with nearly 61% of the vote.
Endorsements: Ferguson’s endorsements include BizPac of Palm Beach County, along with the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, the Classroom Teachers Association, the Economic Council PAC of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-C
Finances: As of June 17, he raised nearly $62,000, including donations from Realtors, attorneys, teachers, pastors, doctors, law-enforcement officers, business owners and other individuals.
Christopher Persaud
Age and residence: Christopher Persaud, 33, lives in West Palm Beach.
Platform: His priorities include uplifting parents' voices, ensuring families have a right to make health-care decisions for their children, advocating for teachers and support employees, supporting the law-enforcement officers who protect local schools and stopping what he called "political indoctrination" and "ungodly policies" in schools. He also supports improvements to early childhood education, especially in literacy.
“As a teacher I have faced many of the issues we create talking points about,” he said in response to The Post's questionnaire.
Professional history: Persaud has been a teacher in the Palm Beach County School District since 2011. He has most recently taught fourth-grade students at Westward Elementary School.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Florida Atlantic University.
Children in the district: He has a child in the school district.
Social media presence: Persaud largely uses social media to share the ties between his faith and his campaign. “Happy Father’s Day to my Pastor,” Persaud said in a June 19 post. “Many people will never know the years of mentorship Pastor Lionel has had on my life. From my beliefs in Jesus Christ up to the reason I even decided to run as a candidate.”
“Thank you to The Church of Divine Revelation for helping with the campaign,” he said in a post the day prior. “I truly appreciate everything.”
Criminal history: Persaud faced criminal charges at least four times between 2016 and 2021.
2016, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office charged Persaud with possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana under 20 grams. He completed a diversion program and the state abandoned prosecution of his case.
2017, the West Palm Beach Police Department charged him with driving under the influence and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams. He pleaded guilty to DUI, and adjudication was withheld on the possession charge. He received a year of probation from the court and a letter of reprimand from the school district.
2018, the sheriff’s office charged Persaud with the sale of marijuana. He completed all the conditions in a deferred prosecution agreement, and the charge was dropped.
2021, school district police charged Persaud with trespassing on school grounds after he refused to wear a face mask – a COVID-19 policy at the time – and then refused to leave his school. A jury found Persaud guilty and he paid $323 in court costs.
“Obviously, it’s not something I’m proud of,” Persaud said in a recent interview, addressing the DUI and marijuana-related charges. “That’s the life I walked prior to all of this, prior to coming to Christ. Those are past failures. I’m moving forward in the direction I’m called. I would never run if I was still that person.”
Media coverage: Persaud made headlines for his trespassing conviction in April and his stand against mask mandates. “This verdict will only fuel us to propel our movement together for the common good,” Persaud later said on his campaign website. “I believe all things (good and bad) work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. In short I would do the same thing all over again for our nation and our children.”
Finances: As of June 17, Persaud raised nearly $10,000.
Corey Michael Smith
Age and residence: Corey Smith, 50, lives in Riviera Beach.
Platform: Smith’s priorities include closing the achievement gaps in early education, strengthening the school-to-workforce pipeline, increasing family engagement through quarterly town halls, expanding mental health resources and being proactive about school safety. He also vowed to be pro-union and supportive of school district employees, and to work on forming partnerships with local businesses, opening the door to new internships, apprenticeships and classroom donations.
“I am running because public education remains under attack, and I have the requisite experience, skills, and devotion to the community to defend it,” Smith said in his questionnaire response.
Professional history: He founded the Law Office of Corey M. Smith in West Palm Beach. In his current private practice, Smith provides "advice and representation to educational institutions across the state." He also works as a special magistrate in the city of Riviera Beach, "presiding over Code Enforcement and Unsafe Buildings cases," according to his website.
Smith previously worked as associate counsel for the school district. He also served as a member of the governing board for Inlet Grove High School from 2011 to 2019, and from 2012 to 2021 he served on the Thousand Oaks Community Development District, an elected position.
Education: He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida.
Children in the district: Smith has three children in local schools.
Social media presence: Smith uses his campaign Facebook page to share appearances at community events, including a Juneteenth parade and a kickoff event for Pride Month. “An inclusive society is a freer society. As your next District 7 representative, I pledge to embrace ALL students because they deserve to be seen, heard and respected,” he said in a post on June 2.
Smith also uses his social media to offer opinions on hot-button issues. “I stand AGAINST the so called 'stop woke' act, the banning books legislation, the 'don't say gay' bill, and other measures that are being pushed through the Florida legislature that will damage our children and stunt educational growth and progress,” he said in a March 2 post.
Criminal history: None found.
Finances: As of June 17, Smith raised more than $36,700, including donations from attorneys, entrepreneurs, health-care workers, teachers, pastors and others.
Giuseppe Sabella is an education reporter at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at gsabella@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism and subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who is running for Robinson's seat on the Palm Beach County School Board?
