Tom Harrell, Candidate Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
Current occupation:
Retired principal
Previous occupations
Business owner, teacher, assistant principal, principal, school district administrator on special assignment, adjunct instructor at Pensacola State College, math coach
Civic, church and other community involvement
NRA member, lifetime member of the PTA, former member of the Solutia Advisory Committee, Paul Harris Fellow Cantonment Rotary Club, Richard’s Memorial Methodist Church: former member -Church Council, President of Methodist Men, Chairman of Staff Parish Committee, former Principal of The Year Escambia School District, Former Teacher of The Year (Ransom Middle School), Recognized twice by the Escambia School Board for outstanding service.
Education
B. S. degree in Vocational Education from The University of West Florida
M. S. degree in Educational Administration from Troy State University
Ed. Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from The University of South Alabama
Master Teacher State of Florida
Selected for the first Principal’s Pool for the Escambia School District
My experience includes general ed, workforce education, ESE, and ranges from elementary through community.
Why are you running for the Escambia County School Board and what qualifies you for this position?
I am running for the Escambia School Board because I want to help make our School District one of the best in our state. I want to serve my community and bring my thirty-eight years of experience to the decision-making process on the School Board. I was a highly successful principal with a unique skill set. When I was principal, under my leadership, R. C. Lipscomb Elementary was a Five Star “A” school for ten straight years. This was the highest award given by the Florida Department of Education. Our test scores were among the highest in the state and nation. We had 100% parent and faculty PTA membership during my tenure. Forty-seven community business partners-in-education and over 23,000 volunteer hours each year. When I was District Administrator on Special Assignment, I developed the plan and provided the leadership that moved O. J. Semmes Elementary School from a double “F” to a “C” in seven months. Our School Board needs fresh innovative ideas to help both high performing schools and struggling schools. I believe my proven educational leadership skill set would be an asset to both the School Board and the community.
What are the three most important issues facing the Escambia County Public Schools?
Improving academic performance, discipline, attendance, graduation rate on time and teacher/employee salaries and retention.
We need to return to an elected superintendent. We should never have given up our right to vote for this position. At the appropriate time, I will make the motion to put elected superintendent on the ballot.
As long as we are in these hard economic times, I will not vote to raise your property taxes.
What is the school district going right at the current time, and what needs to be fixed?
We have a wonderful skilled and very adaptive workforce that has a great deal of institutional knowledge and experience. We need to do everything we can to keep our employees at all levels.
The Escambia School District has made considerable academic progress this past school year under the leadership of Keith Leonard. We now have no failing schools in our District. I commend Superintendent Leonard and all District employees for this great accomplishment but now we need to build upon this success.
Our Workforce Education Program is doing an excellent job as indicated by the number of industry certifications. We are getting more industry certifications than many of the larger school districts. It is important for our students to leave high school with job ready skills. We need to look closely at what is working in this area and increase student awareness of these opportunities.
How would you address teacher pay, recruiting and retention and attract and retain more qualified candidates to Escambia County?
Teacher and other employees’ salaries and benefits has to be set as a high budget priority.
We have to do a better job of creating trust and making employees feel valued.
I would support hiring bonuses for teachers and other employees in critical shortage areas.
When you create trust and make employees feel valued while improving salaries/benefits our employees will want to stay.
How do we address issues surrounding book challenges?
I will make sure inappropriate books are removed from our schools. I believe the reviews of books should take place by the committee up front before they are placed in our media centers and that a matrix should be used to with substantial community input.
Under no circumstances should our school be used for any type of indoctrination of students or staff.
I am a strong Christian conservative who would appoint like-minded individuals to book review committees. I am a strong anti-woke candidate.
How should cell phones/devices in schools be addressed?
In my opinion, cell phones/devices create a great deal of discipline problems. They contribute to bullying, fights and social targeting. I would start by supporting a policy that allowed student to have cell phones/devices in their backpacks for emergency use only. They could not use the phone/device except for well-defined emergencies.
What are the unique issues facing District 5 schools in Escambia County? What makes District 5 different?
District 5 is the largest geographically and is experiencing a tremendous amount of growth and development. Many of our schools have portables and are at maximum student capacity. We have to do a better job working with our county government to improve infrastructure in advance of development.
Joshua Luther, Candidate Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
Current occupation
Jack of all Trades
Previous occupations:
Residential Construction Builder
Civic, church and other community involvement
I am an active member of a local Reformed Baptist Church
Education
Graduate of Luther Homeschool
Previous offices held, previously sought
N/A
Why are you running for the Escambia County School Board and what qualifies you for this position?
I’m running for school board because Christian money is being extorted to propagate the agnostic faith. Christian teachers are banned from praising their King, and as if Jesus were but a fairy tale character, only the children are allowed to speak his name. As America was founded as a Protestant nation, some semblance of justice remains. Our consolation prize for having our money taken to fund the abomination called “public education” is that we get to elect a representative to manage the nightmare. I’m running to represent the true Christian faith and practice damage control by cutting back on spending, fighting against the perversion that the godless have brought in, and advocating for children to be raised in the fear of the Lord, that fear being the beginning of knowledge.
As I was not raised to be a heathen in the state schools but rather raised by godly parents in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, I am more equipped to fight for truth and justice than those still using the world’s counterfeits of these foundational principles. It is the duty of men to resist the wicked, and I plan to do so heartily until the day I die.
What are the three most important issues facing the Escambia County Public Schools?
The problems we face with poor behavior and academic failure stem from the central issue of godlessness. It has been accurately said, “No finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point.” We shouldn’t expect children to care about respecting their teachers and peers when we refuse to acknowledge that all honor and value ultimately originate solely in God.
Regarding academics, we have indoctrinated children to “follow your heart” so we should not be surprised when they do. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) People don’t need a high school degree to “have a good time,” but they may need one to subdue the earth to the Glory of God. This is a classic example of reaping what you sow. If you sow purpose, you reap ambition; but if you sow meaninglessness, you reap indifference.
What is the school district going right at the current time, and what needs to be fixed?
I appreciate that we don’t completely confine children to sit at a desk and memorize curriculum, but we need to give even more time (during normal school hours) to sports and physical activity and let kids be kids. Children, especially little boys, were not made to be chained to a desk and then drugged when they do not submit to this confinement. They were made to run around, fall down, and get back up again to run some more.
“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” (Zechariah 8:5)
Furthermore we the people need to get our children engaged in productive endeavors (also known as work). General success comes about through discipline, which is something that isn’t acquired through being spoon-fed seemingly worthless facts.
How would you address teacher pay, recruiting and retention and attract and retain more qualified candidates to Escambia County?
I would like to address recruitment and retention by teaching children that they are expected to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love their neighbor as themselves. When we expect and encourage children to be saints-in-training rather than little narcissists, then we will have created a much more pleasant work environment.
Additionally, if we free Christian teachers to talk about and praise King Jesus, then our schools will be attractive to teachers who want to equip the next generation to subdue the world to the glory of God.
Without these essential changes, we are like the man who loves apples but not apple trees. He has cut down his orchard and is now wondering why there’s a shortage of apples. We shouldn’t be surprised that we have issues when we’ve rejected God’s Words of Life.
How do we address issues surrounding book challenges?
We need to protect the hearts and minds of our children and pursue very strict standards that are in submission to the wisdom and principles found in the Word of God. Furthermore, it would be wise to shut down the flow of books into our school libraries until we have replaced the gatekeepers who, in hatred of God’s Law, have been bringing in the filth.
There’s really not much to say about this issue unless you’re trying to make the irrational moral leap of trying to justify having state-sponsored porn in our school libraries.
“Nine times out of ten it is the coarse word that condemns an evil, and the refined word that excuses it.”
G.K. Chesterton
How should cell phones/devices in schools be addressed?
We should begin moving to having no phone usage from the time school begins till it lets out. Most adults can’t handle this package of distraction, and so we shouldn’t burden our children with it. Additionally, we shouldn’t burden school employees with children suffering from phone-induced distraction.
In relation to school-owned devices available for student use, we have managed to teach the basics without devices, and I would like to return to the basics, and I lean toward the basic methods of teaching them. But, insofar as we keep them we should do our best to secure them to operate strictly on a whitelist.
What are the unique issues facing District 5 schools in Escambia County? What makes District 5 different?
District 5 is very large and could benefit greatly from small, localized Christian schools being started by the different communities.
Also, especially in Century, many children come from fatherless homes and would be very much helped by teachers who could offer them hope and security by mentoring them in God’s vision for life, family, and community. Fatherless boys and young men desperately need godly masculine role models in their lives who are free to share with them the saving and hope-giving gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus tells us, “I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness.” (John 12:46) The answer to darkness is not more government programs but rather the Savior, Jesus Christ.
30,000 Pounds Of Food, Backpacks To Be Distributed Saturday Morning At Olive Baptist
August 2, 2024
Rep. Michelle Salzman and partners will host a Back to School Food Distribution and Backpack Giveaway Saturday at Olive Baptist Church.
The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. Vehicles should not line up earlier than 7 a.m. There will be a designated area for walk-ups.
There will be 30,000 pounds of food for the first 400 families. Backpacks will be available on a first come first served basis with a limit of two per vehicle.
Olive Baptist Church is located at 1836 East Olive Road in Pensacola.
Pictured: A 2023 food giveaway and backpack distribution was held at Gonzalez Baptist Church. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Press ID – Nikki Purvis – Expires 7/14/2024
July 11, 2024
This is a verified valid PRESS ID
NIKKI PURVIS
String Photographer for NorthEscambia.com — assigned to Pensacola Beach Air Show
EXPIRATION: 07/14/2024
Former Florida Governor, U.S. Senator Bob Graham Dies At 87
April 17, 2024
Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. Senator, died Tuesday.
Graham served two terms as governor (1979-1987) and three terms as a U.S. senator (1987-2005). He was 87.
“We are deeply saddened to report the passing of a visionary leader, dedicated public servant, and even more importantly, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather: Bob Graham,” the family said in a statement Monday night.
“”As a legislator, Florida’s 38th Governor, and a United States Senator, Bob Graham devoted his life to the betterment of the world around him. The memorials to that devotion are everywhere from the Everglades and other natural treasures he was determined to preserve, to the colleges and universities he championed with his commitment to higher education, to the global understanding he helped to foster through his work with the intelligence community, and so many more,” the statement continued.
“While he valued his opportunities to represent others in public office, the jobs Bob Graham most loved were those he spent working alongside everyday Floridians. His more than 400 workdays, in occupations ranging from construction to farming to hospitality, created wonderful friendships across the state and forever changed his perspective on Florida and his approach to public service.”
“As his family, we will never forget his love for us, the love he had for Florida, the United States, and the world, and the love so many people showed him. We thank God for the gift of his life.”
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April 13, 2024
These Are This Week’s Road Construction Traffic Delay Hotspots
March 31, 2024
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Interstate 10 (I-10) at the Nine Mile Road Interchange (Exit 5) – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts near the I-10/Nine Mile Road interchange (Exit 5):
- The inside lanes of Nine Mile Road, between the I-10 ramps at Exit 5, will be closed Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews perform median work.
- Traffic on I-10 near Exit 5 is shifted slightly to the right so crews can begin bridge construction work. The shift will be in place until spring 2025.
- U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) Resurfacing between Henry Street and Cottage Street in Century – Northbound and southbound traffic on U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) is shifted to one outside travel lane in each direction between Rudolph Street and Green Street. The shift will be in place through the spring as crews perform drainage improvements. Signs are in place to safely direct drivers through the work zone.
- County Road (C.R.) 4 over Canoe Creek Bridge – C.R. 4, between Byrneville and Bratt, will be closed through fall 2024 as crews replace the Canoe Creek bridge. Traffic is directed through a 5.6-mile detour using Bratt Road to Pine Barren Road, then back to C.R. 4.
- North Palafox Street (U.S. 29) Resurfacing from Cervantes Street to Brent Lane (State Road (S.R.) 296) – Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- The left turn lane from Pace Boulevard to Massachusetts Avenue is permanently closed. Signs are in place to direct drivers traveling on Palafox Street to Pace Boulevard.
- The left turn lane from Palafox Street northbound to Pace Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue is permanently closed. Signs are in place to direct drivers traveling northbound on U.S. 29 destined for Massachusetts Avenue or Pace Boulevard.
- Scenic Highway (U.S. 90), from north of I-10 to Davis Highway – Drivers on Scenic Highway, between I-10 and Davis Highway, may encounter alternating lane closures Sunday, March 31 through Thursday, April 4 from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews mill and pave the roadway. Flaggers will be present to safely guide drivers through the work zone.
- Lillian Highway (S.R. 298) Resurfacing from north of U.S. 98 to east of Fairfield Drive (S.R. 727) and Lillian Highway at Blue Angel Parkway (S.R. 173) - Drivers will encounter daytime and nighttime lane closures, between U.S. 98 and Blue Angel Parkway, Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 as crews perform earthwork, concrete, signing and striping work. Traffic flaggers will be on site to safely direct drivers through the construction work zone.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 westbound at Blackwater River Resurfacing Project – Beginning 8 p.m. Monday, April 1 drivers will encounter an I-10 westbound inside lane closure, from the Ward Basin Road on-ramp (Exit 28) to the east end of the Blackwater River Bridge. The I-10 westbound inside lane will reopen to traffic by 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 3. The I-10 westbound outside lane will remain open. Additionally, drivers may encounter intermittent I-10 westbound inside lane closures, from the Ward Basin Road on-ramp (Exit 28) to the east end of the Blackwater River Bridge:
- Sunday, March 31 and Thursday, April 4 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Wednesday, April 3 from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m.
These lane closures are required for bridge end slab replacement.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive Sunday, March 31, through Friday, April 5, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for stormwater drainage improvements and paving operations
- S.R. 89 Resurfacing from north of S.R. 87 to C.R. 178 – Drivers will encounter intermittent daytime lane closures, between S.R .87 and C.R. 178, Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 5 as crews perform paving and earthwork operations.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Hickory Hammock Road (C.R. 184) to Technology Avenue – Drivers may experience intermittent single-lane closures on S.R. 87, between Hickory Hammock Road and Technology Avenue, Monday, April 1 through Thursday, April 4 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for construction activities.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
University Of Alabama Tag Vouchers Are Buy One, Get One Free In Escambia County
March 29, 2024
University of Alabama tag vouchers are buy one, get one free for the first 100 purchasers in Escambia County.
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said a donor has agreed to match 100 University of Alabama vouchers sold through EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
Additional vouchers may be used for another vehicle, including trailers and RVs, or to offset the renewal fee in a future year.
Click https://county-taxes.net/fl-escambia to buy your UA voucher and the tax collector will put a second one on the record of the first 100 purchasers.
Tate Tennis Boys And Girls Both Defeat Escambia 7-0
March 1, 2024
Tate 7, Escambia 0 (Boys)
Tate 7, Escambia 0 (Girls)
Tate High School boys and girls tennis teams both defeated the Escambia Gators 7-0 Thursday afternoon
Up next, Tate will be at Washington on March 5.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ice Flyers Fill Arena, Fall To Birmingham
February 3, 2024
By Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent
For more photos, click or tap here.
The Ice Flyers had a filled arena Friday on their special 15th anniversary weekend, created plenty of scoring chances, had strong goaltending and evoked crowd reaction from several hard checks.
But a too-familiar, empty feeling, became the final narrative.
The Birmingham Bulls got a deflected goal midway through the second period and made it stand in a 1-0 victory against the Ice Flyers before a sellout crowd of 8,049 at the Pensacola Bay Center.
“(Bulls) made one more play than we did and that’s what the game came down to,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “Tip your hat to Birmingham, they’re the top defensive team in the league for a reason. They are very structured. They defended very well.”
It was the Bulls sixth consecutive win against the Ice Flyers, further burnishing their position atop the SPHL standings. Birmingham backup goaltender, Drennan Atherton, a Winter Haven native, who played a game earlier this season for the Ice Flyers, earned his first shutout by stopping all 34 Ice Flyers shots.
His performance included several big stops in the first period and kept the packed arena from having a goal dance celebration to start the annual $5 ticket weekend. The Ice Flyers will get another opportunity Saturday in a sold-out game against the Macon Mayhem to complete back-to-back discount games.
“I’m disappointed for the guys, because again, I know how badly they wanted to get a win for the big crowd,” Graham said. “But I told them (afterward), we get back here, we’ll have a big crowd (Saturday), we have to get points.
“The urgency of this group, they have to start playing with a desperate, killer instinct. And will it happen? That’s the million-dollar question.”
The Ice Flyers (15-17, 2 OT losses, 32 points) had three power play chances in the game. They were only whistled for one penalty. They were able to pull goaltender Stephen Mundinger with 2:46 remaining and a timeout with a faceoff in the Bulls zone.
But even with chances in that final sequence, they could not get a shot into the net and Birmingham (24-6, 6 OT losses, 54 points) improved to 7-3 in the series with Pensacola this season.
“I go back to the first period all the scoring chances, Grade-As, that we had in the slot and we don’t bear down,” Graham said. “We missed the net a lot. And didn’t create enough second chances, greasy goals around the net. That is the issue for our team. We’ve talked about it this year, we have a forward group that we want it the easy way.
“We’ve gone through this in this season about crashing the net, getting positioning around the net front and scratching and clawing for goals.”
The game’s only goal came on what started as a pass. Birmingham’s Dillon Radin was created for a goal when his play in the goal crease area led to the puck bouncing off a skate and into the net.
“Unfortunately, bounces didn’t go our way,” Mundinger said. “We’re right there. One of those things where we ran into a hot goalie, he played well, but I think if a couple bounces go our way, that game is 5-0. It’s frustrating, but we’re playing good hockey.”
Mundinger was awed by scene in the arena where people were literally sitting in the final row near the Bay Center roof. From ice level to rafter left, the seats were filled. And it will occur again Saturday.
“I feel like every week here, you think like you get the best and it just keeps more and more,” Mundinger said. “Nothing but great things about playing here… more than I could have ever dreamed of when coming here. This is a special weekend. You want to win for everyone that’s there. “
For more photos, click or tap here.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Macon Mayhem vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
