Rankin County School District elections (2014)
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One seat on the Rankin County School District Board of Education was up for general election on November 4, 2014.
Incumbent David Farmer defeated challenger John Waits for the District 5 seat.[1] Prior to the election, the district received lawsuits and complaints from the American Humanist Association regarding the practice of religion in its schools.
About the district
Rankin County School District is located in Rankin County, Mississippi. The county seat is Brandon. Rankin County is home to 146,767 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[2] In the 2011-2012 school year, Rankin County School District was the third-largest school district in Mississippi and served 19,376 students.[3]
Demographics
Rankin County overperformed compared to the rest of Mississippi in terms of higher education achievement in 2012. The United States Census Bureau found that 28.2 percent of Rankin County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 20.0 percent for Mississippi as a whole. The median household income for Rankin County was $57,593 compared to $38,882 for the state of Mississippi. The percentage of people below poverty level for Rankin County was 11.4 percent while it was 22.3 percent for the state of Mississippi.[2]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Rankin County Board of Education consists of five members elected by specific geographic district to six-year terms. There was no primary election, and the general election was held on November 4, 2014. One seat was up for election in 2014.[1]
School board candidates had to file with their county elections department during the candidate filing period, which began on August 6, 2014, and ended on September 5, 2014. To vote in the 2014 general election, voters had to register by October 4, 2014.[5][6]
Elections
2014
Candidates
District 5
- David Farmer
- Incumbent
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | David Farmer Incumbent |
53.8% | 3,242 | |
| Nonpartisan | John Waits | 46% | 2,773 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.2% | 11 | |
| Total Votes | 6,026 | |||
| Source: Rankin County, Mississippi "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 29, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
No candidates received endorsements in this election.
Campaign finance
The Rankin County Circuit Clerk does not publish and freely disclose school board candidate campaign finance reports.
Past elections
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What was at stake?
Issues in the district
Religious practice complaints
On October 7, 2014, Northwest Rankin Elementary School Principal Kara Killough contacted fifth-grade teachers at her school to request that they bring their students through the school lobby at a certain time when free Gideon Bibles would be available for pick-up. Her email stated, "Gideons will set up in the lobby of the fifth grade building at 7:35. Fifth grade teachers -- please walk your class through the lobby at that time." The American Humanist Association (AHA) filed a complaint with Killough and other Rankin County School District officials in response to the email. In its complaint, the AHA stated, "We are troubled by the school district's complete disregard for the Establishment Clause and the rights of religious minorities in the district. [...] The school's recent actions also demonstrate a complete disregard for the Consent Decree, or worse, an intentional unwillingness to comply with its terms."[7]
In 2013, the AHA filed a lawsuit against the district to halt what it alleged were "Christian-themed assemblies" at Northwest Rankin High School. The district initially settled the lawsuit in November 2013, but it was renewed in May 2014 after a district-wide assembly to honor high-achieving students included an invocation and prayer from a pastor. The district later settled the lawsuit a second time.[8]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Rankin County School District election in 2014:[5][6]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| August 6, 2014 | First day for candidates to file nomination documents |
| September 5, 2014 | Last day for candidates to file nomination documents |
| October 4, 2014 | Last day to register to vote in the general election |
| October 28, 2014 | Campaign finance report due |
| November 4, 2014 | General election day |
| January 30, 2015 | Annual campaign finance report due |
Additional elections on the ballot
This election shared the ballot with general elections for a U.S. House seat and a U.S. Senate seat. It also shared the ballot with county, municipal and judicial elections. One statewide ballot measure, the Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment, also appeared on the ballot.[9]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Rankin + County + School + District + Mississippi"
See also
- Mississippi
- Rankin County School District, Mississippi
- Mississippi school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Rankin County, Mississippi ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, Mississippi
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rankin County School District, "RCSD School Board," accessed September 10, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 United States Census Bureau, "Rankin County, Mississippi," accessed July 24, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 22, 2014
- ↑ Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed September 10, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Secretary of State, "Mississippi Voter Information Guide," accessed September 10, 2014
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Secretary of State, "2014 Mississippi Elections Candidate Qualifying Guide," accessed September 10, 2014
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Atheist group says Mississippi school aided in Bible giveaway," October 15, 2014
- ↑ The Associated Press, "Atheist group renews suit regarding school prayer in Rankin County schools," May 7, 2014
- ↑ Secretary of State, "Sample Official Election Ballot," accessed September 10, 2014
| 2014 Rankin County School District Elections | |
| Rankin County, Mississippi | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | District 5: • Incumbent, David Farmer • John Waits |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
