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Donnie Thurman, Jr.
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Donnie Thurman Jr. was a member of the Cleveland County school board. He first won election to the board in a general election on November 5, 2013, and did not seek re-election in 2017.
Biography
Thurman attended Crest High School. During his junior year of high school, Thurman was elected district office in the Beta Club. His district encompassed seven schools and he was elected as his district Beta Club Vice-President. He was eventually selected as the North Carolina State Beta Club Vice-President and as the National Vice President of the Beta Club. Thurman was a football player in high school and went onto play at Gardner-Webb University. At Gardner-Webb, he majored in sociology and psychology and was elected as the Freshman and Sophomore class presidents at GWU. Thurman was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Ebony Student Association, Campus Ministry, and the Gospel Choir.
Thurman's professional experience includes working with Communities In Schools. He has worked at several schools in Cleveland County and accepted a position with Communities in Schools as the Mentor Coordinator in July of 2013. Thurman has also served as a professional motivational speaker nationwide. He has also served as the youth pastor at Palmer Grove Baptist Church in Kingstown, North Carolina.[1]
Elections
2013
Thurman ran for an at-large seat on the school board on November 5, 2013, against Kathy Falls, S. Dale Oliver, George Litton, Phillip Glover, Darius Griffin, Jeff Gregory, Kenneth Ledford, and Danny Blanton.[2]
Results
| Cleveland County Schools, At-large General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Donnie Thurman, Jr. |
19.1% | 5,209 | |
| Nonpartisan | Phillip Glover Incumbent |
13.6% | 3,706 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kathy Falls Incumbent |
12.9% | 3,518 | |
| Nonpartisan | Danny Blanton |
12.7% | 3,449 | |
| Nonpartisan | Darius Griffin | 12.5% | 3,405 | |
| Nonpartisan | George Litton Incumbent | 9.3% | 2,535 | |
| Nonpartisan | S. Dale Oliver Incumbent | 9.2% | 2,519 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kenneth Ledford | 7.3% | 1,999 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jeff Gregory | 3% | 820 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in | 0.3% | 85 | |
| Total Votes | 27,245 | |||
| Source: Cleveland County, NC, "November 5, 2013 Municipal Election," accessed December 13, 2013 | ||||
Funding
Thurman reported no contributions or expenditures to the Cleveland County Board of Elections.[3]
Endorsements
Thurman did not receive any official endorsements for his campaign.
Campaign themes
Thurman identified the following campaign themes on his website:[4]
|
"Why run now? That is a question that I have been asked a lot since I announced my candidacy. It is a fact that I care about our students and teachers like everyone else does. I love the area of Cleveland County because it is truly the place that has shaped me. I have worked in the school system on nearly every level in the last 12 years of my life. I have worked with our elementary school students who have a hunger for learning that is unmatched. I have worked with our middle school students who are learning who they are in life, and seeking to find the areas where they fit in best. I have worked with our high school students who are confronted with life's toughest choices every day of their lives. There has never been a time where our children and teachers needed help more. Our families need support, and I have decided that it is time to quit diagnosing the problem, and seek to become part of the solution. I do not want to sit on the sidelines anymore wondering what can be done; I want to serve the people of Cleveland County. That is why I am running now, and why I have adopted a 5 Pillar platform. I want to implement these 5 pillars in a way that improves our community. I want to Connect with our community in a way that has yet to be done. It is time that our families and community organizations combine with the school system to bring forth real results. I want to Inspire our community to move beyond where we are to the places that we know we should be. Inspiration is an important job of a board member, and I want to reach out to all of those involved in the school system to insure that they understand that they have the full support of the board. I want to Equip our teachers, students, and families with the tools necessary to become the school system that we are capable of becoming. If any of the people within our schools are ill equipped, we will never reach the results that we all desire. I want to Evolve our methods of teaching and communicating in a way that is more effective and efficient in reaching our community. Lastly, I want to Eliminate all forms of bullying in our school system. We need to move our students beyond this dangerous act, and teach them concepts that will unite them. These are the five pillars that I want to see implemented in Cleveland County Schools. I have no doubt that once they are implemented, our schools will become a better place. If you entrust me with your vote, I guarantee you that I will serve you with all of my energy and effort. Thank you Cleveland County for this amazing opportunity. It is one that I do not take for granted." |
Note: The above quote is from the candidate's website, which may include some typographical or spelling errors.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Donnie + Thurman, Jr. + Cleveland + County + Schools"
See also
External links
- Cleveland County Schools Website
- Campaign Website (dead link)
- YouTube Channel
- Facebook Page
- Twitter Page
- Personal Website
- Cleveland County
- Cleveland County Board of Elections
- Public Schools of North Carolina
Footnotes
- ↑ "Donnie Thurman, Jr for School Board," "About the Candidate," accessed September 18, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ "Cleveland County Board of Elections," "2013 Election Candidates," accessed September 17, 2013
- ↑ Cleveland County Board of Elections, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed December 23, 2013
- ↑ "Donnie Thurman, Jr. for School Board," "Five Pillars," accessed September 18, 2013 (dead link)
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