Eddie Waldrep

Eddie Waldrep

Nonpartisan

Candidate, Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

Elections and appointments

Next election

November 4, 2025

Education

High school

Trevor G. Browne High School

Bachelor's

University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 2008

Ph.D

Kent State University, 2015

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army

Years of service

1998 - 2004

Personal

Birthplace

Phoenix, Ariz.

Religion

Christian: Baptist

Profession

Psychologist

Contact

Campaign website

Personal LinkedIn

Eddie Waldrep is running for election for an at-large seat of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Waldrep completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Eddie Waldrep was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He served in the U.S. Army from 1998 to 2004. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 2008 and a Ph.D. from Kent State University in 2015. His career experience includes working as a psychologist and teacher. He has been affiliated with Veteran Affairs and the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.

Elections

2025

See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2025)

General election

The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.

General election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates are running in the general election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Susan Payne (Nonpartisan)
		Brandon Clark (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Cynthia Halverson (Nonpartisan)
		Renée Ludlam (Nonpartisan)
		Jennafer Stites (Nonpartisan)
		Holly Tripp (Nonpartisan)
		Eddie Waldrep (Nonpartisan)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
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Endorsements

To view Waldrep's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Eddie Waldrep completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Waldrep's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Army Veteran, currently a Clinical Psychologist and a D20 parent of a female athlete. My focus is on academic excellence, building competence and character in our students by encouraging tough but achievable goals, and parental rights and parental engagement. My approach toward these goals include focusing on evidence-based outcomes. I am also in support of protecting female sports and that our facilities are appropriately segregated by biological sex. It is time for us to remove politics from our schools to the greatest extent possible and focus our attention on improving academic outcomes and preparing our students to be the future leaders of our great country.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Academic excellence. Focusing on academic excellence is the responsibility our community entrusts to the school system. We want our children to be safe and to be challenged academically to foster strength, resilience, and critical thinking skills to be successful in whatever life path they so choose.
• Character and Confidence. I encourage people to read the book "Coddling of the American Mind." It is a great book on showing how lowering expectations and not allowing our children to respond to challenges on their own can have the consequence of undermining their resolve in important ways. If we give our students tough, but achievable goals, then they can develop a sense of accomplishment and confidence from those mastery experiences. Those lessons can only be learned by overcoming obstacles on one's own and they carry with them throughout life.
• Parental Rights and Parental Engagement. Parents are the base of learning and moral development for our children. When they are sent off to school, we want parents to be engaged and to encourage their students throughout the process. If we maintain transparency in curriculum and learning materials, parents can have the confidence that their trust is well placed. There is no reason that parents should be excluded from important aspects of their child's learning experience.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Protecting children from excessive political influence so that they can learn and thrive to be strong, capable, and independent thinkers. Our children are just as strong and capable as any children in history and deserve the dignity and respect of not being treated as political pawns.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to the example my father left for me. I have exceeded him in education but he instilled in me a model of what it means to be a man and to take care of responsibilities regardless of how challenging it may be.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I maintain the Army Values that my time in service instilled in me: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. I am a patriot and believe that we live in the best country on earth and that we have overcome our obstacles with the tenacity of the American spirit. We have had our challenges but also tremendous flourishing that comes from our Constitution and those who have sacrificed to protect and defend it over the years. Our students have this country and our Constitution as their birth right and their responsibility and we can work to ensure they meet that challenge with confidence.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of helping others to find the strength within themselves to thrive in life.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

It was the Gulf War and I was probably 14 or so when it kicked off. I remember they put a TV in our classroom so we could follow the news about it.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked at my parent's restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona, Ed's Fish and Chips. I worked there on and off between construction and other jobs until I joined the military at age 21.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Thomas Sowell, A Conflict of Visions. This book helped me wrap my head around the difference in the way people see the world. I was not sure of what people meant by "left" or "right" and many attempts to understand it and research it was not helpful. That book helped me see it more clearly and that has been a true benefit for understanding not only the topics but also the continued observations of others.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Jiminy Cricket.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Good teaching is challenging, engaging, and free of political bias to the greatest extent possible. I think of the best teachers in my life and I have no clue what their political affiliation may have been.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

US Congressman Jeff Crank

State Representative (former) Rose Pugliese (HD14)
Colorado State Board of Education Member Steve Durham
Erin Lee - Erin for Parental Rights

Lori Gimelshteyn - Colorado Parent Advocacy Network

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The ideal learning environment is safe, clean, functional, and encourages robust discussions while maintaining civil discourse.

Are there any areas of school curriculum you would like to see changed?

I would like to ensure that our curriculum is evidence-based and delivered with fidelity to ensure the best possible academic outcomes.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I am proud of many things, my service to our country, my academic achievements, but more than that is my family.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Academy School District 20 school board, At-large

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