By consolidating the Lumberton and Lamar County school districts, inclusion of the Lumberton parents on the Lamar County School Board was necessary. When the Lamar County district lines were redrawn to include Lumberton, District C was expanded and a special election was called.
So, on April 26, two candidates – Jeremy Chance of Purvis and Gladys Parker Rodgers of Lumberton – will meet to decide who represents the new District C on the Lamar County School District Board of Trustees.
Chance, 38, who is currently the Board President, is a certified registered nurse anesthetist. He was appointed to Lamar County School Board in early 2016 and elected in a special election in November 2016. He has two children who attend Purvis Lower Elementary.
In addition to the school consolidation, Chance said the students’ safety is also important.
“Lumberton is the one of the most pressing issues right now along with the safety of our children in school,” he said. “I am proud of the way that the Lumberton issue happened and I am proud that I was a part of it. It is one of the bigger things that has happened since I have been on the school board.”
Chance said the change with consolidation, which takes effect July 1, isn’t going to be perfect.
“Change is always difficult, but you always want to normalize the change as much as possible,” he said. “Keeping the school intact is obviously the main goal. I am proud of the way the administration and staff has worked to make the transition go so smoothly.”
Rodgers, 61, is a lifelong Lumberton resident and had two children graduated from Lumberton High School. Communication is a key to Rodgers’ campaign.
“What I am also concerned about is the communication (between the school board and the community),” she said. “I want to see how the schools prepare our kids for college.”
Rodgers said she supports consolidation efforts.
“I am glad to see the schools going to the Lamar County School District,” she said. “I like to see them share the educational resources for all the children. We need to do the best for all of our babies.”
