Republicans appeared to have an early lead in school board races in two of Georgia’s largest school districts.
Cobb and Forsyth counties have been ground zero for classroom culture wars in Georgia, with issues like book bans and censorship dominating board meetings in the last few years. A Cobb County teacher sued the school district earlier this year after she was fired under Georgia’s controversial classroom censorship laws after reading a book that challenged gender norms to fifth graders. And officials in Forsyth County were warned by the federal government that it may have been creating a “hostile environment” for students in its effort to evaluate books. Because of this history, the contested races in each county were closely watched.
School board races in most metro Atlanta districts are nonpartisan, and were decided in the primary and runoff elections earlier this year. Election results are unofficial until they are certified. Votes were still being counted at the time of publication.
In Cobb, Republican incumbents Randy Scamihornin Post 1 and Brad Wheeler in Post 7 led their Democrat challengers. In Post 5, the seat being vacated by longtime board member David Banks, Republican John H. Cristadorowas outpacing Democrat Laura Judge. Democrat incumbent Leroy “Tre’” Hutchins ran unopposed for the Post 3 seat. If a Democrat flips one of the three contested seats, the party would control the seven-person board. Republicans have held the board majority for more than a decade.
Republicans also held early leads over Democrats in Forsyth County: Trisha Hoyes outpaced Jessica Fleming in District 2; Dorian Usherwood outpaced Debbie Stair in District 3; and Chris Grimes outpaced Claudia J. Wood in District 4. Republicans currently hold every seat on the Forsyth County Board of Education.
In Paulding County, two Republican incumbents — District 1′s Theresa Lyons and District 4′s Deborah Collett — ran unopposed. Two other Republican incumbents — District 3′s Deborah Collett and at-large representative Jeff Fuller — led their Democrat challengers.
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