Leon County School Board

She says it’s important to keep public schools strong

Agreement comes after a parent complaint alleging Hanna has inserted his personal and political views into his job

The Leon County School Board recently approved updates to its LGBTQ Inclusive Guide. The guide is meant for school personnel and offers a policy on how to accommodate LGBTQ students.

Georgia "Joy" Bowen represented her school district for 24 years.

Laurie Lawson Cox is set to be sworn in Tuesday as the newest member of the Leon County School Board. She says one of her first priorities is to ensure kids get back up to speed after many fell behind during the coronavirus pandemic.

Laurie Lawson Cox is the newest member of the Leon County School Board. Cox beat out Godby Assistant Principal Alex Stemle for the job.

Godby Assistant Principal Alex Stemle and retired teacher Laurie Cox are delivering their final pitches to voters. The two are running for a Leon County School Board seat. It’s among the most-watched races, locally.

Alva Striplin handily won her reelection bid to the Leon County School Board during Tuesday's primary with 53.54% of the vote as of 1:50 a.m. Wednesday. Meanwhile, the District 4 race is heading for a November runoff.

The Leon County School Board could shift a bit to the right depending on the outcomes of local races. While Gov. Ron DeSantis has not endorsed any local candidates for school board his influence is playing out in a predominantly blue county.

The race to replace DeeDee Rasmussen on the Leon County School board features two district veterans and a self-described “right-wing conservative." Two of the three candidates say they support the conservative group Moms for Liberty, which has become a political force for parental rights during the pandemic. The overall effort by Republicans to exert influence at the local level is working, as candidates weigh their messages carefully.