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Lindsey Frye
Lindsey Frye was a candidate for at-large representative on the Lawrence Public Schools Board of Education in Kansas. She lost her bid for a four-year term on the board in the general election on April 7, 2015.
In a candidate questionnaire, Frye stated her support for Common Core standards and teacher tenure. She also voiced her opposition to Senate Bill 171, which sought to move school board elections to the fall, and her concerns regarding state cuts to education funding.[1]
Biography
Frye is a single mother of two children. She attended and her children have attended district schools. She is a member of Education Lawrence.[2] She earned a certificate from Johnson County Community College, and she works as a denied medical claims collector for Apria Healthcare.[3]
Elections
2015
Five seats were up for general election on April 7, 2015. Because more than three candidates filed for one position, a primary election was held on March 3, 2015.
Incumbents Bob Byers, Rick Ingram, Shannon Kimball, and Randy Masten were up for regular election. Masten was the only incumbent not to file to run for re-election. Byers, Ingram, and Kimball faced challengers Lindsey Frye, Ronald Gordon-Ross, Jessica Beeson, and Jill Fincher for the four-year terms up for election.[4] Ingram, Kimball, Beeson, and Fincher won the regular election.
An additional seat appeared on the ballot due to a vacancy on the board that was filled by appointment in 2014. Adina Morse resigned from the board in August to serve as the executive director of the Lawrence Schools Foundation. Marcel Harmon was appointed on September 8, 2014, to fill that vacancy.[5]
Because the seat would not have been up for regular election in 2015, the election for this seat was for the two years left on its unexpired term. Harmon ran to remain in the seat against challengers Mary Loveland, Kelly Spurgeon, and Norine Spears. Because more than three candidates filed for the race, a primary election was held. Harmon and Loveland advanced to the general election, where Harmon won his first full-term in the seat.[4]
Results
| Lawrence Public Schools, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Shannon Kimball Incumbent |
18.9% | 5,418 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jessica Beeson |
17.6% | 5,050 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jill Fincher |
17.3% | 4,951 | |
| Nonpartisan | Rick Ingram Incumbent |
16.6% | 4,758 | |
| Nonpartisan | Bob Byers Incumbent | 14% | 4,015 | |
| Nonpartisan | Lindsey Frye | 9.3% | 2,669 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ronald Gordon-Ross | 6.3% | 1,819 | |
| Total Votes | 28,680 | |||
| Source: Douglas County, "Online Election Results (official)," accessed April 16, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Frye reported no contributions or expenditures to the Douglas County Clerk in this election.[6]
Endorsements
Frye did not receive any official endorsements in this election.
Campaign themes
2015
Fyre participated in a candidate questionnaire from the Lawrence Journal-World. The questions and her responses are below:
| “ | What makes you the right candidate for the school board?
I graduated (from the Lawrence school district) and have a certificate from (Johnson County Community College). I don’t have the education other candidates have but I have experience in another form. I’m involved with the Safe Routes to School that works on improving children’s safety to and from school. I am a member of (New York Elementary School) site council and PTA, of Educate Lawrence, Douglas County NOW. I’m a single mom of two USD 497 students, seeing the root effects legislation and funding has on our communities and homes. I placed my faith in USD 497. I believe I will bring a unique, honest, experience to the board. What issues should the school board focus on in the coming years? The coming years are going to focus on funding. The school board will have to make careful and calculated budget cuts, due to SB 71, realizing we need to keep teachers employed and class size manageable. We need to adequately serve all populations by making sure our educators are equipped with the correct tools. It’s important to keep communication open on issues of racism and sexism, not just surrounding unfortunate incidents. We need to create an environment of acceptance and tolerance. USD 497 should be an environment where all students and teachers feel welcome, safe and successful without pressure or prejudice. How should the board address the budget issues it faces because of state cuts? The budget is going to be complicated and harsh. If Senate Bill 71 passes we will face decisions as to what we can do without. In 2009 we went through similar cuts. We have always had foresight to manage. No one enjoys budget cuts. I feel that Lawrence is fortunate in that we have the backing of a great community and the ability to successfully adapt to tough situations. I believe it is important to manage with people in mind. We are going to have to buckle down and be conservative with resources both on the board and in class. Are Lawrence students shortchanged in any aspect of their education? I have two mixed children in the Lawrence schools. One thing that comes to mind is the diversity of our educators. I think that children of all ages can benefit from different cultural and gender, racial backgrounds of educators. It is important to help create a makeup of USD 497 staff that aligns with the reality of the makeup of our student population. In doing this we need to realize that we need more educators and staff of color. We owe it to all students to reflect the reality they live in and the world they will enter into when they graduate. Do you support Common Core standards? Why or why not? As a parent, Common Core sometimes confuses me, yet I have a child in fifth grade and I see the benefit for his future. It’s encouraging that Common Core makes the main goal to set a high standard in math and English. As technology progresses, good jobs are requiring more education. We owe it to our students to make sure they meet the standard that will make them successful. It’s important to note that Common Core provides a new way for teachers to measure progress so when students struggle we can take the proactive measures to help them achieve. Should teachers have tenure rights? Is it "too hard" to fire teachers with tenure? Teaching is multifaceted, encompassing educating and dealing with social and emotional needs of students. I support House Bill 2220 to restore due process rights. Educators deserve rights to defend their job. There’s a shortage of teachers entering the field, it makes sense to allow due process rights. Folks may ask what makes teachers special. I implore them to realize these are the educators of our children, that is what makes them valuable. Tenure doesn’t make it harder to fire a teacher. We need to give some of the most important people the right to defend the hardest, most important job in our community. Do you support moving school board elections to November in even numbered years and/or making the elections partisan? Our community should strive for an educated population. Neither mine nor any other elected school board’s political views are needed to know that we care about students. I oppose Senate Bill 171 and campaign affiliation is just one reason. The bill suggests school board members take office mid-year in January. It will disrupt schools in having to make schools “suitable” as polling places. It seems like an effort to divide and conquer within our educational system. I hope people realize that public education shouldn’t be a divided two parties, it needs to be the unbiased concern of everyone as a bipartisan unit.[7] |
” |
| —Lindsey Frye (2015)[1] | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Lindsey Frye Lawrence Public Schools. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Lawrence Public Schools, Kansas
- Lawrence Public Schools, Kansas elections (2015)
- Hot tub Gatorade, turnout in Peoria and the Wisconsin state budget... (April 8, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lawrence Journal-World, "School board questionnaire: Lindsey Frye," March 22, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Lindsey Frye for USD 497 School Board," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Lawrence Journal-World, "School board candidate profile: Lindsey Frye," March 22, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Douglas County Clerk, "Unofficial City/School Candidate Filings To Date," January 27, 2015
- ↑ Lawrence Journal World, "Marcel Harmon appointed to Lawrence school board," September 8, 2014
- ↑ Douglas County Clerk, "Candidate Reports," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| 2015 Lawrence Public Schools Elections | |
| Douglas County, Kansas | |
| Election date: | Primary: March 3, 2015
General: April 7, 2015 |
| Candidates: | At-large, 4-year terms (Four seats): • Incumbent, Bob Byers • Incumbent, Rick Ingram • Incumbent, Shannon Kimball • Lindsey Frye • Ronald Gordon-Ross • Jessica Beeson • Jill Fincher
At-large, 2-year term (One seat): • Incumbent, Marcel Harmon • Mary Loveland • Kelly Spurgeon • Norine Spears |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
