David Simons
David Simons was a candidate for the board presidency of the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education in Georgia. He initially advanced from the May 20, 2014, general election to a runoff election against Jolene Byrne on July 22, 2014. Simons announced his withdrawal from the race on May 22, 2014. Byrne faced third-place finisher Chester A. Ellis in the runoff election, instead.[1]
Biography
Simons earned a bachelor's degrees in business and political science from MacMurray College. He later earned an MBA from Golden Gate University. Simons has worked as a legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives and a congressional affairs manager with Eaton Corporation. At the time of his candidacy, Simons was the president and owner of The Simons Political Group, a political and business consulting firm. Simons is a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and has served in the Georgia Air National Guard. He and his wife have two children.[2]
Elections
2014
David Simons ran against Sadie C. Brown, Jolene Byrne, George Seaborough and Chester A. Ellis in the general election on May 20, 2014. Board president Joe Buck could not run for another term because of the seat's two-term limit. Simon advanced to the runoff election on July 22, 2014, but withdrew before the election.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Jolene Byrne |
40.1% | 11,003 | |
| Nonpartisan | David Simons |
21.5% | 5,900 | |
| Nonpartisan | Chester A. Ellis | 17.2% | 4,736 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sadie C. Brown | 10.7% | 2,941 | |
| Nonpartisan | George Seaborough | 10.5% | 2,889 | |
| Total Votes | 27,469 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "OFFICIAL COUNTY RESULTS," May 20, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Simons reported $50,616.00 in contributions and $17,716.84 in expenditures to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, leaving his campaign with $32,899.16 on hand as of May 16, 2014.[3]
Endorsements
Simons did not receive any official endorsements in this election.
Campaign themes
2014
Simons explained his themes for the 2014 campaign on his campaign website:
| “ |
The Chatham County School system needs new leadership. Dr. Joe Buck, who has ably led the board for the past eight years as the president, must now step down because of term limits. In my view, we need a decisive leader, one that can lead from the front, one that has spent a lifetime leading, one that can continue the progress we have made yet correct the glaring weaknesses within the school system. Our job is to give students tools to take advantage of their God-given talents and intelligence so they can develop to their fullest potential. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is: “Why are you running for School Board President?” That answer is easy. Educating our children has the most direct effect on our collective futures. When you think about the next generation – what comes to mind? Do you think that the future workforce will be one that is well-educated, well-trained and well-prepared to be employable and contribute in a meaningful way to our community? I’ve spoken with many local small business owners who have told me that they are having trouble finding employable people to work for them. We can choose to ignore the problems or insulate ourselves from them, but that isn’t productive. After three combat tours including one in Afghanistan that I just completed a few months ago, I have seen the destruction of a country where education was a premium and then deemed irrelevant. I have witnessed generations of illiterate men and women being herded through their lives in a wave of ignorance, conflict and death. In Afghanistan, being literate means to be able to read and write at a first grade level. Because of their lack of education, the Afghans are helpless and easier to oppress by whoever is vying for control of their country. Obviously, in the United States, and in greater Savannah, we are far better off. However, we aren’t making the best use of our dollars and our teachers to make sure our children are ready to seize the mantle of leadership when they are adults. To put it in military terms, the enemy for our community is adequacy. An “adequate” school that shuffles students through the system, but doesn’t really prepare them for the future, isn’t the answer. A school that prepares students for a JOB and a career is the end goal we must seek. We cannot capitulate on this issue. To me, every child is important. Regardless of race, creed or color, the future lies on their shoulders and as adults, it is our responsibility to prepare them for their future. There is nothing more important than a parent who engages their child in their lessons from school and life experiences with their peers. Teachers cannot be surrogate parents for the children they teach. We as parents must engage our children with their daily studies, their daily homework assignments, their daily life lessons. The amount of time and effort that my wife and I spend with our children knows no limits as we work with them so they can excel. We’re fortunate. Because of our parents’ sacrifice, my wife and I were able to graduate from college and have productive careers. I’ve given a lifetime of service to our country, and now I am willing to step up and lead our school system so the next generation can have the opportunities they deserve. I’m running because I believe my experience, skills, education and leadership can improve a system that has been ensnared in ever-changing programs and policies that have not made real progress in the betterment of our public school system. We need to make real improvement in our education system and it can’t wait – the lives of our children are at stake. But I can’t do this alone. I am asking for help from all parts of this community. There are some schools in our system that are setting the bar high for its students and students are reaching those high standards. I applaud those schools. But shouldn’t ALL of our schools be great? Shouldn’t ALL of our schools be in the business of insuring our children leave after graduation fully capable of reading and writing at a proficiency level that allows them success either in college or in the job market? I call on parents to reengage with their children and their studies. It is their responsibility to insure their children are prepared for school. I also call on the business community to join in a community-wide effort to improve our public schools. I would like to see the reinstatement of Junior Achievement and Corporate Academy as well as see apprenticeship programs develop within the schools. The business community has the resources to assist in training our children for productive lives and careers. Together we can insure that our children will be well equipped to assume the mantle of the future. In closing, I ask you for your support as I run for president of the Savannah Chatham County public school system. I appreciate the opportunity to create a future that is bright for our children and our community.[4] |
” |
| —David Simons' campaign website (2014)[5] | ||
Recent news
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See also
- Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, Georgia
- Savannah-Chatham County Public School System elections (2014)
- Flurry of school board elections heading to ballots in Georgia, New York
External links
- Savannah-Chatham County Public School System
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
- Simons Political Group
Footnotes
- ↑ Savannah Morning News, "Simons is out, Ellis is in for Savannah-Chatham school board race," May 24, 2014
- ↑ The Simons Political Group, "Bio," accessed May 16, 2014
- ↑ Savannah Morning News, "Construction contractors, politicos fund Savannah-Chatham school board candidate David Simons," May 11, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Elect David Simons School Board President, "Why I'm Running," March 3, 2014
| 2014 Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Elections | |
| Chatham County, Georgia | |
| Election date: | May 20, 2014 |
| Candidates: | President: • Sadie C. Brown • Jolene Byrne • Chester A. Ellis • George Seaborough • David Simons District 4: • Shawn A. Kachmar |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
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