By HEATHER HARTSELL
Leader staff writer
With the deadline to file for the Sept. 18 school board elections over, a sometimes controversial professional educator is running for the board in Little Rock.
Jacksonville Boys Middle School Principal Mike Nellums, no stranger to locking horns with school boards and unionized teachers in the Pulaski County Special School District, has waded into the four-person Zone 2 race for the Little Rock School Board.
Nellums hopes to unseat incumbent Michael Daughtery, who in recent months has become a very controversial board member.
Other candidates for that seat include Anna Swaim and Drew Pritt.
Lonoke County
In the Cabot School District, barring any write-in candidates for the Position 7 school board seat, Ken Kincade will be running unopposed, as Dr. Brenda Thielemier did not file for re-election. Incumbent Jim Coy will face off against Arthur Evans for the Position 3 seat. Two positions are sought in the England School District.
Kenneth Bascue and Jason Willard are running for the Zone 3 seat. A three-way race will be had for the Zone 7 seat between Jerry Rice, Charles W. McDonald and Vernon B. Brazell.
No candidates filed for school board election in the Carlisle School District, but there is still the possibility of write-in candidates.
Write-in candidates there and elsewhere have until Aug. 13 to notify the county clerk if they intend to run. In the Lonoke School District, incumbent Ray Kelleybrew will be running unopposed for his Zone 1, Position 3 seat.
Richard Pennington and Darryl Parks have filed to run for the Zone 3, Position 2 seat.
Pulaski County
In the Pulaski County Special School District, five people are set to run for election this year. Bill Vasquez of Jacksonville has filed against incumbent Dr. James E. Bolden, III, also of Jacksonville, for his Zone 6 seat. Mildred Tatum is running unopposed for her Zone 1 seat.
Debbie Murphy now has an opponent for the Zone 2 seat as Shanna H. Chaplin has filed to run as well.
White County
Brenda K. McKown and Christopher Mark Gross have filed for the Beebe School Board.
McKown was president of the McRae School Board when that school consolidated with Beebe three years ago.
Although a petition to file for school board required 20 signatures, write-in candidates simply have to notify the county clerk of their intentions.
Come election day Sept. 18, voters will have to write in that candidates name on the ballot in order to vote for them.
