Richardson, Hudson leading for Salem-Keizer School Board

Voters have cast their ballots for three open seats on the Salem-Keizer School board.

In Zone 2, Cynthia Richardson was leading over Casity Troutt in early returns.

"I am honored to have the support of so many people in our community. I am humbled by the educators, parents, and so many others in Salem-Keizer who supported my campaign," Richardson said in a Facebook message. "Every voter deserves to have their voice heard, and I will wait for all votes to be counted before saying anything further."

In Zone 4, Kelly Strawn and incumbent Satya Chandragiri were virtually tied.

“There are lots of votes to count still. We will see how it goes,” Chandragir said.

Even if he loses, Chandragiri said, “The good news is a team we have all worked hard for four months. I think the whole journey has been our destination and for that I am very grateful.”

And in Zone 6, Krissy Hudson had a comfortable lead over Larry Scruggs.

Marion County elections officials say they next plan to update vote totals on Thursday. Polk County election officials said they planned to update vote totals at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Mailed ballots postmarked by the deadline can be counted through May 23. The results are unofficial until the county certifies them.

Though board members represent distinct zones, the elections are districtwide, meaning voters select a representative for every open seat.  Zone 2 covers northeast Salem; Zone 4 covers South Salem; and Zone 6 covers Keizer.

School board members serve four-year terms.

Here is more about the candidates:

Zone 2: Cynthia Richardson vs. Casity Troutt

Cynthia Richardson is an educator and school administrator preparing to retire after 44 years in public schools, 25 of which she spent in Salem-Keizer.

She has served as the director of Student Equity, Access and Advancement for Salem-Keizer Public Schools for six years.

Richardson said she would work to implement and maintain policies that set students up for success. She believes in direct intervention, meeting students and families where they are and addressing their individual needs.

Richardson grew up in Texas and taught there before moving to Oregon two decades ago. She has a bachelor of science degree from University of North Texas, a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler, and has completed coursework at Texas Women’s University and the University of Oregon.

Richardson is running against Casity Troutt, a McKay High School parent.

Troutt said she was inspired to run for school board after she felt a “shift” in parental involvement during the pandemic.

“The parents were not welcomed,” Troutt told the Statesman Journal last month. “They [district employees] didn’t want us to be included.”

Troutt is the founder and former vice-chairperson of Salem-Keizer We Stand Together, a parent advocacy group that unsuccessfully fought to remove books from schools it deemed inappropriate. It focused on “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” about growing up nonbinary, and “Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Anti-Racism, and You.”

She also led a failed effort to recall three school board members, in part because they voted to ban concealed guns on school property last year.

The winner will replace Marty Heyen, who was elected in 2019.

Zone 4: Satya Chandragiri vs. Kelly Strawn

Satya Chandragiri is the only incumbent running for reelection. He was first elected in 2019.

Chandragiri is a psychiatrist with a private practice in Salem.

As board chair, Chandragiri proposed and approved an amendment to board policies that gives the board chair authority to curtail any public comment they deem threatening, derogatory or obscene.

He also has been a vocal proponent of re-opening school board meetings to in-person attendance.

He is running against Kelley Strawn, the associate provost of institutional research and a professor of sociology at Willamette University.

Strawn said academia has given him the tools and experience to understand complicated policies and processes.

Strawn said he is running for a mix of practical and ideological reasons.

As a sociologist, he said, he has a clear and researched understanding of systemic barriers that stand in the way of student success: class sizes, social and economic inequality, and academic standards that rely too heavily on standardized testing.

As a school board member, Strawn said he would take a scientific and systematic approach to student success.

But he’s also running because he believes, fundamentally, in public education, Strawn said. His kids were educated in Salem-Keizer public schools and his wife is a Salem-Keizer employee.

Zone 6: Larry Scruggs vs. Krissy Hudson

Larry Scruggs was an administrator at the University of Portland for 21 years and has a Ph.D. in urban studies from the same school. He also is a former police officer.

He's retired but has worked as a substitute in the Salem-Keizer School District, which he says gave him an understanding of the district's needs.

Scruggs said he wants more teacher aids in schools, more mental health resources and smaller class sizes. All of those things, he said, would contribute to safer and more successful schools.

He said teachers are most at-risk when they become responsible for more students than they can handle. Students, meanwhile, slip through the cracks or act out when they are placed in classrooms that cannot accommodate their needs.

Scruggs is running against Krissy Hudson, who works for the Oregon Department of Justice.

Hudson volunteered at Salem-Keizer elementary schools for eight years and said she is an active participant in her kids’ educations. But she does not think the district is friendly to parents.

Hudson said she wants parents to be more involved in their kids’ educations. She wants to reopen school board meetings to in-person attendance and allow parents to have access to all school curricula.

Hudson has worked in both the private and public sector. She previously worked in the Oregon Department of Human Services, Oregon Department of Disability Services and the Social Security Administration.

She also spent 10 years working at Costco, where she said she learned about leadership and building trust. She coaches her kids’ sports teams in her free time, which has “brought [her] a lot of pride,” she said.

The winner will replace Robert Salazar, who was appointed to serve a vacant seat through June 30.

Statesman Journal reporter Shannon Sollitt contributed to this report.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: 2023 election: Voters choose 3 for Salem-Keizer School Board