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Elections 2022

Chandler school board: One incumbent out, two newcomers elected

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Kurt Rohrs and Patti Serrano were the two winners in the Nov. 8 Chandler Unified School District  Governing Board election.

The election, canvassed and certified by the Maricopa County Supervisors on Nov. 28, showed a 64.5% turnout countywide,  with the 113,035 voters who live within Chandler USD boundaries meaning the district had a 69.2% turnout.

Chandler USD voters were asked to pick the candidates to fill two seats on the board. Rohrs garnered 34,471 votes, or about 24%. Not far behind was Serrano, whose  34,177 votes  gave her about 23% of the vote.

The two challengers finished with considerably more votes than the other three candidates in the field.  Charlotte Golla had  29,060, or about 20%. The only incumbent competing for one of the two spots, Lara Bruner, had 27,765, or about 19%.

Rounding out the field was the fourth challenger, Marilou Estes, who had  20,586 votes, or 14%.

Board member Lindsay Love is leaving at the end of this term and wasn't on the ballot for this election.

Serrano told Independent Newsmedia the turnout was higher than she expected.

"That's testimony to all of the community-centered work we've done, especially around elevating school board races," Serrano said. "Several of us worked very hard to remind everyone in the district that even though school boards aren't at the top of the ballot, make sure to vote in our race and make your voice heard."

By many accounts, Serrano will be the only Latina serving on a school board in the Valley when she and Rohrs are sworn in on Jan. 11. She said it's important to give all communities a voice, including hers. 

"That's something we want," she said. "We want to see all students and families of CUSD represented on the board."

Serrano said as a 2001 Hamilton High School graduate, she would be the only Chandler Unified alum on the board, as well as the only parent of a current CUSD student. She said all of this year's candidates are well aware of how the Chandler board and other boards across the Valley and the U.S. have been treated over the past few years -- especially at board meetings.

"We won't be intimidated," Serrano said. "As tough as it might be to maintain focus, we will look past all the noise and chaos to the good people who are still standing. We won't be made to feel like we are less-than, that our voices as board members don't matter."

Serrano  said public school funding, the longstanding battle between districts and the state legislature, affects board members who are on the front lines in having to decide on how to use limited funds. She said she'll be an advocate for improving Arizona's standing in overall teacher salaries and in student acheivement.

While each district is responsible for its own students, she said, it never hurts to have state leaders who are in favor of more K-12 funding, rather than against it.  The governorship has flipped to the Democratic Party,  with the Republicans doing the opposite with Superintendent of Public Instruction and the attorney general's race still tied up in court.

"When you have people at the top who are pro-public education, it makes a huge difference," Serrano said.  

Rohrs said he thinks increased parent involvement in district and classroom activites was a major issue in the election — especially in  creating higher turnout.

"Nationwide, we've seen parents who are tired of seeing more and more ideology taught in classrooms, and movement away from academics and much-needed job skills," Rohrs told Independent Newsmedia. "That's why we've seen parents like myself get more involved and run for office. Several parents like myself won school board seats in the Valley this month."

Rohrs lists, on his campaign website, the need to eliminate Child Sexualization Education, or CSE, as one of four major points. He said morality and other aspects of sexuality should be taught in each student's home, not in schools.

"It used to be that you could separate the boys from the girls, show them each a film, and tell the boys to not get the girls pregnant," he said. "A lot of the rest are family issues that it isn't necessary for a school to address.

When told Serrano pointed out much of what can and can't be taught as part of curriculum is clearly defined at the state level, Rohrs pointed out that the state superintendent is only one member of the state school board.  He said two state statutes that offer direction on specific instruction aren't very specific at all.

However, Rohrs also said he believes Tom Horne, who narrowly unseated Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman in the November election,  would be a positive influence on the state's K-12 schools.

"I think Tom will be good for us," Rohrs said. "He's helped me out a lot.  And I think he'll help us get focused on what's important and what needs to be handled within student's homes."

Rohrs said reading and math levels are huge concerns to him. He said  signing up to be a substitute teacher was one way he was reminded how many students are performing two or three grade-levels below where they ought to be.

"For now, we are playing a lot of catch-up," he said. "We need a lot more tutoring and other types of after-school help with the basics."

Rohrs, who had all three of his children attend and graduate from Chandler schools, said he believes extra-curricular activites, such as sports, help with social-emotional learning. However, balance is needed, along with a need to teach important life skills to students.

"As home-ec went away, we lost the ability to teach students things like personal finance skills," Rohrs said. "My youngest son had no idea how to file his taxes. There are many skills that stronger academics from Chandler could help teach."

Rohrs said it's important for board members to regular ask themselves the purpose of schools.

He said there are many people to thank for helping with his campaign, including U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs,  who helped get in front of some large audiences, and Kari Lake, the GOP gubernatorial candidate who made K-12 shortcomings a key pillar of her campaign.

Rohrs said not all his thoughts about the district are criticisms.

"We have one of the best districts in the state," he said. "We should have every student move on from their K-12 years better prepared -- and not simply to attend a particular institutuion."

At the Nov. 16 CUSD board meeting, Rohrs had extensive praise for Bruner, whose only term  on the board will come to an end in January when the two new members are sworn in. He said she showed grace and patience despite different points of view and that the district is better off for Bruner having served on the board.

Bruner posted a statement on her campaign Facebook page the weekend after the election.

"Thank you to everyone who has helped me serve CUSD over the last four years. I wish all the best to the district and to the new board," Bruner wrote. "Chandler Unified is an excellent school district made up of amazing educators and staff who are continually giving of themselves to support the academic development and life skills of every one of our children. There is nothing more noble, more challenging, or more important."