Katherine Fansler
Katherine Fansler was a Democratic candidate for an at-large seat on the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education in North Carolina. Fansler, Elisabeth Motsinger and German D. Garcia faced three Republican candidates in the general election on November 4, 2014. Katherine Fansler lost the general election on November 4, 2014.
Biography
Fansler worked as a first-grade teacher in the district for a decade. At the time of her candidacy, Fansler was homeschooling her two grandchildren. Fansler and her husband, Craig, have three children who attended district schools.[1]
Elections
2014
Katherine Fansler advanced from the May 6, 2014, Democratic primary against Elisabeth Motsinger, German D. Garcia, Donald Dunn and Suzanne Carroll. Fansler, Motsinger and Garcia faced Republican candidates Mark Johnson, John M. Davenport Jr. and Robert Barr in the November 4, 2014, general election.
Results
General
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Elisabeth Motsinger Incumbent |
18.4% | 52,582 | |
| Republican | Robert Barr |
17.1% | 48,789 | |
| Republican | Mark Johnson |
16.9% | 48,418 | |
| Democratic | Katherine Fansler | 16.8% | 48,115 | |
| Republican | John M. Davenport Jr. Incumbent | 16.5% | 47,125 | |
| Democratic | German D. Garcia | 14.2% | 40,636 | |
| Total Votes | 285,665 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 30, 2014 | ||||
Primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Elisabeth Motsinger Incumbent |
33% | 11,233 | |
| Democratic | Katherine Fansler |
22.2% | 7,561 | |
| Democratic | German D. Garcia |
17.7% | 6,038 | |
| Democratic | Suzanne Carroll | 14.5% | 4,918 | |
| Democratic | Donald Dunn | 12.6% | 4,278 | |
| Total Votes | 34,028 | |||
| Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, " 05/06/2014 OFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - FORSYTH," May 13, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Fansler reported $99.00 in contributions and $99.00 in expenditures to the Forsyth County Board of Elections, leaving her campaign with no cash on hand as of April 30, 2014.[2]
Endorsements
Fansler received the endorsement of the Winston-Salem Journal for the primary.[3] She and German D. Garcia (D) received a joint recommendation for the third at-large seat in the general election from the paper.[4]
Campaign themes
2014
Fansler listed her themes for the 2014 campaign on her campaign website:
School choice
| “ | I believe that every child in the county deserves -- has a right to -- a world-class education, and I believe that we can provide that for children. We must. Our futures depend upon it. If we set our priorities in such a way that this mission is truly foremost, then we will be able to achieve it.
If every child in this community has access to a world-class education, then it won't matter where they go. Choice becomes an irrelevant issue, as it should be.[5] |
” |
| —Katherine Fansler's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Role of teachers in district policy
| “ | I believe that every single child in this community must have the very best education possible, and I believe that the teacher makes the difference for kids in the classroom. However, our experienced and effective teachers are leaving the profession in droves -- at least in part because of declining pay and the lack of professional regard by policy makers. School leaders are making decisions based on what many consider to be sound research, but the implementation of these efforts ignores the reality of the classroom and, in so doing, has failed to create truly healthy and productive learning environments for children.
As a School Board member, I will add a valuable perspective to the collective conversation about how to help our schools become safe and caring communities that empower children, foster tolerance, and grow life-long learners. From my experience in the classroom, I know first-hand how policymakers’ decisions, however well intentioned – all too often prove disastrous when implemented in the classroom. As a result, our schools and classrooms have become battlegrounds for politicians and policymakers, and the casualties are our children and teachers. Teachers must have a voice in this conversation, because teachers make the difference for children in the classroom every single day. As a member of the School Board, I will advocate for appropriate professional pay and improved working conditions for teachers, staff, and principals. I will advocate for those who must, themselves, advocate for the students in their classrooms every day. I will make sure that decisions are made with an awareness of how those policies will actually work – or not work – in the classroom.[5] |
” |
| —Katherine Fansler's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Teacher pay
| “ | Teachers are some of the most important persons in a child's life. Research shows that the more experience a teacher has, the more effective the teacher will be. In order to retain high quality teachers, they need to be paid at a rate that is at least average, if not above average. Their pay needs to reflect the value that experience brings to their classroom instruction.[5] | ” |
| —Katherine Fansler's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Katherine + Fansler + Winston + Salem + Forsyth + County + Schools"
See also
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, North Carolina
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools elections (2014)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Democracy.com, "Katherine Fansler: Bio," accessed April 30, 2014
- ↑ Forsyth County Board of Elections, "Local Campaign Report: Board of Education," accessed April 29, 2014
- ↑ Winston-Salem Journal, "Editorial: 2014 endorsements in school board primaries," April 22, 2014
- ↑ The Winston-Salem Journal, "Endorsements 2014: WS/Forsyth school board races," October 21, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Democracy.com, "Katherine Fansler: Issues," accessed April 30, 2014
