Meet The Candidates: Escambia County School Board District 5

August 17, 2024

NorthEscambia.com asked the three candidates for Escambia County School Board District 5 to answer a series of questions.

Many of the questions were submitted by NorthEscambia.com readers.

Each candidate received an identical electronic questionnaire, and they were encouraged to proofread their answers. We have not made any corrections of changes to their answers.

This was NorthEscambia.com public service for our readers. Candidates were not financially charged for their participation, and no candidate was able to reach a response for their opponent until publication of this story today.

In alphabetical order, here are candidates with a link to their written answers.

  1. Tom Harrell
  2. Joshua Luther
  3. Jim Taylor

Comments

33 Responses to “Meet The Candidates: Escambia County School Board District 5”

  1. Josh on August 20th, 2024 11:51 am

    Has anyone looked into Jim Taylor ? It’s scary that he can even sign up to run for office !

  2. Ben on August 20th, 2024 1:10 am

    Tom Harrell is the best candidate ! Why would these other two even try?

  3. Tina on August 19th, 2024 7:46 pm

    Thank you for writing this north Escambia! I didn’t know anything about either candidate and after reading this Tom Harrell is the only one I would vote for!

  4. Charles on August 19th, 2024 1:32 pm

    It has been very exciting seeing many in our district support Joshua Luther’s campaign for school board. I am his father and have had the privilege of knocking on hundreds of doors in our district and talking to many people who realize that we are living in clown world in our nation and State. They see that reformational change is the only solution to our failing educational system. When I say failing, I’m not speaking mainly about test scores, but rather the more important issue of failing morals. Joshua is very open and honest about what he believes and what his strategy is. The pilgrims that sailed across the Atlantic to New England (when they were able to get settled enough to establish schools) taught students the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ contained in those precious Scriptures. When you think that we’ve done a good thing in our removing the teaching of the Scriptures from the school system, you have welcomed the immoral clown world. I believe there are better days ahead of us, however, it will only be when the Word of God is put to use to destroy all the evil ideologies of clown world. “The absence of light is darkness, not neutrality.”

  5. My 2 Cents on August 19th, 2024 10:27 am

    I would vote Mr. Harrell. He is the most informed and knowledgeable of the three. Mr. Taylor needs to give up trying to run for a any leadership position! Poor Mr. Luther is just clueless!

  6. B Lamb on August 19th, 2024 2:24 am

    The fact that Luther’s only experience is construction is very telling…

  7. Darlene on August 18th, 2024 10:42 pm

    Our community needs to make sure Tom Harrell wins this election Tuesday ! Everyone get out and vote Tuesday for Tom Harrell!

  8. Rob on August 18th, 2024 4:47 pm

    Thank you North Escambia for the inquiry and the candidates for responding. I read each response and couldn’t help to think, if this was an assigned school essay, what grade would they get. Did the answer address the question? Did it look like they thoughtfully consider each answer? Was the answer properly constructed? Context aside, these three questions resulted in a striking contrast. With consideration to what are the candidate’s platform, there is only one qualified candidate in my mind, Tom Harrell.

  9. Nikki on August 18th, 2024 10:03 am

    I have known Mr.Harrell for a long time and he is kind, honest and hardworking and I have no doubt in his decision making regarding what’s best for the children, families and educators in the district.

  10. Well on August 18th, 2024 8:13 am

    And Mr. Taylor is endorsed by the Politidians you all want to vote out already.

  11. Gabe on August 18th, 2024 2:02 am

    When I got a Tom Harrell’s flyer in the mail I was so proud to see my favorite former teacher running for school board! I still remember him being so kind! He taught me advanced honor math classes and was able to explain problems so we could all understand. I’m telling everyone to vote for my favorite teacher Tom Harrell! After reading his Q&A I am not surprised by all his accomplishments!

  12. SG on August 18th, 2024 1:34 am

    Reading these positions it appears we are hiring (electing) a preacher —not a school board member.

  13. Shane on August 18th, 2024 1:09 am

    Tom Harrell is the only one that sounds like he knows what he is doing!

  14. Lee on August 18th, 2024 12:34 am

    Tom Harrell has already done so much for our school
    District turning a F school into a C school in 7 months. He is a smart man that is a proven leader. He truly cares and will listen to you and help.

  15. Nathan on August 17th, 2024 9:57 pm

    Tom Harrell has my vote! He was my math teacher and was the principal when my kids went to lipscomb! He is a very smart and great man I can’t enough good things about him!

  16. Rebecca on August 17th, 2024 8:45 pm

    Tom Harrell is the most qualified person for this position. He is the most compassionate person and will fight for our children and teachers, staff. I know him personally and I know he will fight for our school district .

  17. Lou on August 17th, 2024 4:43 pm

    Experience in the system , well educated , and somebody willing to fight with the other political sharks for our children , the best choice Harrel.

  18. Usher on August 17th, 2024 4:34 pm

    I know for a fact that Jim Taylor supported Malcolm Thomas all three times he ran, so all you have to do is ask Malcolm. Jim never gave Malcolm a hard time and as far as I know, Jim and Malcolm are still friends and they live very close together Malcolm. Nevertheless, Malcolm is NOT a discussion point in this race. Looking forward not in the rear view mirror.

  19. Samantha on August 17th, 2024 4:00 pm

    After reading all 3 the best is by far Tom Harrell. He is strong Christian conservative that will be able to help the children, educators and our district be better,
    Tom did many great things during his 38 years in education and in this district.
    I am very thankful we have him as a choice now because the other two will not work. Tom Harrell knows our district and is strong in his beliefs and will work hard to make our schools the best! My vote is for Tom Harrell!!!!!

  20. Mike on August 17th, 2024 3:50 pm

    to: Christ or Chaos!!!
    Yes, looks like Mr Luther. who has no qualifications and no experience wants to convert our school system to Christian Taliban.
    STEM is the way to survive in the modern world.

  21. Mike on August 17th, 2024 3:46 pm

    Jaimie Kintz on August 17th, 2024 1:05 pm
    Your message is very confusing. Could you please clarify it?
    “Tom Harrell is the father of a good friend of mine. She’s a fabulous teacher … instilled in her by her dad….He has the experience”

    I hope he was not the one to teach you English. Otherwise, he has summarily failed :)

  22. Diana on August 17th, 2024 3:10 pm

    After reading all 3 the best is by far Tom Harrell. He is strong Christian conservative that will be able to help our children and school district !
    Tom did many great things during his 38 years in district thankful we have him as choice now because the other two will not work. Honestly Tom
    Harrell is the only one that knows what he is talking about.

  23. John Adams on August 17th, 2024 2:30 pm

    Two former educators unable to focus on education instead of DeSantis’ weird anti-book stance and a “Jack-Of-All-Trades” with no secondary education and an absolutely terrifying backwards agenda of theocratic governance.

    This should end well, right?

  24. Mermaid on August 17th, 2024 1:38 pm

    Of all the candidates, Jim Taylor is by far the most qualified. He has the experience and drive to lead our schools in achieving the goals that have long been lost. Our children and teachers need a strong leader and Mr. Taylor is the only one who can get the job done.

  25. Jaimie Kintz on August 17th, 2024 1:05 pm

    Tom Harrell is the father of a good friend of mine. She’s a fabulous teacher too….and that’s because of all the attributes instilled in her by her dad.
    Tom will make an excellent School Board Representative!! He has the experience to make a big, positive impact for our students & schools.

  26. Christ or Chaos!!! on August 17th, 2024 12:05 pm

    Of the three candidates running, one stands out to me. You won’t find a degree in education by his name and he’s never ran for office before. What you will find is a consistent biblical worldview that is Christ honoring. All three candidates are Christians and our schools need Christianity, There is no such thing as neutrality, it is a myth. Its Christ or Chaos!!!! However, Only one candidate honored The King of Kings with every answer.

    Soli Deo Gloria

  27. Henry on August 17th, 2024 11:14 am

    Yes it is the Jim Taylor that has ran for ecua and county commissioner he also ran for superintendent. He withdrew from superintendent right before the election after he was also very nasty to Malcom. He always attacks who is running against and is a nightmare.

  28. Johnny on August 17th, 2024 10:47 am

    Make sure that the cell phone issue they trying to resolve includes teachers also. I get pics daily and teachers have their feet proped up on desk on social media. It’s not the kids the reason schools have gone down it’s the generation of teacher. Teacher want more money they need to start teaching our kids and schools need to make this happen. Yall to worried about being our kids parents then doing yalls job. We as parents decide what’s best for our kids not government, county, school board etc. Focus on your administration and doing your job and making sure our kids are learning and getting to education that we pay for and then we can worry about pay and cell phones.

  29. I am a Christian, but WOW! on August 17th, 2024 10:02 am

    @ Jack of all trades

    You obviously didn’t read Mr. Taylor’s responses.

  30. I am a Christian, but WOW! on August 17th, 2024 10:01 am

    One of these things is not like the others,
    One of these things just doesn’t belong,
    Can you tell which thing is not like the others
    By the time I finish my song?

  31. Nikki & Roy on August 17th, 2024 9:03 am

    I appreciate you posting this. Gives some great insight to these candidates.

  32. Kathy on August 17th, 2024 8:53 am

    Thank you north escambia for providing this. Very helpful.

  33. Jack of all trades on August 17th, 2024 8:05 am

    Is this the same Jim Taylor who ran for both ECUA and County Commissioner?