Raleigh Public Record (https://theraleighcommons.org/raleighpublicrecord/author/whuntsberry/page/10/)
Age: 45
Current Occupation: Full-Time Volunteer
Website: www.donnaforschoolboard.com
How long have you lived in Wake County? 24 years
Do you have children in the district? All four of my children did attend District 6 schools. I have seven grandchildren. One of them is in a District 6 school.
CORRECTION APPENDED: In the article below, school board candidate Donna Williams was identified as running for District 3. She is running for District 6. This year’s school board elections gives Wake County voters the chance to put their seal of approval on the majority that’s been in power the last two years, or to unseat it — and that’s a bit nerve wracking no matter which side you are on. Diversity supporters claim that the elections two years ago — when the new majority gained power — were hijacked by a well-organized, well-funded minority. But neighborhood schools proponents, on the other hand, say the elections two years ago proved that people in Wake County wanted change from the diversity policy.
Age: 55
Occupation: Real Estate Broker
Website: www.venitapeyton.com
How long have you lived in Wake County? Over 25 years
Do you have children in the district? No
Why have you decided to run for office? I was finally able to help get in a whole new set of school board members with fresher, newer ideas. My whole goal is to empower the parents in district 4.
Age: 48
Occupation: Retired Computer Engineer
How long in Wake County? Since 1962
Do you have children in the district? No
Why have you decided to run for office? Wanting to give back. My career in computers and information management as well as management itself—I got to see a lot of statistics and got to see how corporations as well as government entities did well and didn’t do well and the more I saw about the school board and the more I saw about education, I figured this would be a good place to apply.
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired
Website: www.ronmargiotta.org
How long have you lived in Wake County? 11 years
Do you have children in the district? Previously a grandson
Why have you decided to run for office? [My grandson] is the reason I became interested in the school board, because of the assignment policies that my grandson went through. I think he was reassigned three times in a four-year period.
Age: 65
Occupation: Retired Educator
How long have you lived in Wake County? I’m a native. I’ve worked other places, but I was born here and this is home. Why have you decided to run for office? I became concerned about the Wake County school system.
Age: 43
Occupation: Stay-at-Home Mom
Website: www.mansfieldforwakeschools.com
How long have you lived in Wake County? 13 years
Do you have children in the district? 6th and 8th graders, both magnet students at East Millbrook Middle School. Why have you decided to run for office? District 3 has not had a representative for parents and just the community at-large for the past four years.
Photos: President Barack Obama spoke about jobs to a crowd at North Carolina State University Wednesday.
It’s an historic year for spending and fundraising in this year’s mayoral contest. Billie Redmond has raised the most money in contributions, but she’s being outspent by Nancy McFarlane.
