Incumbent Chephus Granberry and challenger Christopher King will face off for the District 1 seat on the Jackson County School Board on August 18, offering voters a choice between a veteran school employee focused on family dynamics and a higher education administrator emphasizing fiscal management.
Granberry, who has served on the board for the past three and a half years, was born, raised, and educated in Jackson. His extensive background in the district includes roles as a school bus driver, paraprofessional, data entry specialist, administrative assistant, and transportation manager. Today, he works as a local funeral director. Granberry says his varied history within the system is his primary asset.
“I bring a different outlook as far as making sure that all employees as well as students are taken care of,” said Granberry. “I went through the school district, so I have experience on both sides of the dais.”
One of Granberry’s main priorities is increasing parental involvement.
“I think parents need to be invited and encouraged to come to the school to participate in activities and not just wait until the kids get in trouble and then you have to go out there,” he said. “I think that if the parents were more proactive instead of reactive, it would help.”
Granberry, a staunch supporter of public schools, also highlighted the importance of school libraries in boosting statewide reading levels.
“When I was coming up in school, going to the library was a part of our schedule. I think we need to work on the way we present the concept of the library.”
His opponent, Christopher King, has lived in Jackson County for 51 years. He is married with two children who attend Graceville Public School. King’s background is rooted in budget and finance; he currently serves as the Vice President of Business Administration at the Baptist University of Florida, a private Christian college.
“I understand higher education, the complexities that it possesses, and the compliance issues that you must fall within, both on a federal level and on a state level,” said King.
King identifies teacher recruitment and retention as one of the biggest issues facing the district.
“We’ve got to do a better job of retaining our workforce, our students, providing a place for them where they’ll want to stay,” he said. “We’ve got to provide opportunities, and the opportunities, in my opinion, come through them being educated. We’ve got to be able to create a workforce that employers would want to come here and take advantage of.”
King does not support school vouchers. Instead, he wants to shore up support for Jackson’s public schools while keeping a close eye on the district’s finances.
“We want to make sure the schools are strong so that the parents don’t feel like they need to use vouchers,” he said. “I would like to make sure our schools do a better job of marketing that we have really good schools, we have high-quality teachers, and that these resources are there for them to use for their students.”
Both candidates agree that technology is important but emphasize that devices cannot replace human interaction and traditional learning. Granberry believes students need to learn how to engage as a community.
“They need to associate with people more,” said Granberry. “More so than with devices.”
King focuses on the tactile benefit of physical books over digital screens.
“I think a lot of children need to have it in their hand,” he said. “Not always on the tablet. I think you can’t teach children to read without high-quality, complex text.”
While both candidates share similar stances on major issues like vouchers and technology, Granberry’s campaign emphasizes the relationship between schools and the home dynamic, while King focuses on behind-the-scenes logistics, budgeting, and finance.
Though Florida school board races are non-partisan, the candidates' political backgrounds differ: Granberry is a Democrat and King is a Republican. The District 1 seat is one of two Jackson County School Board positions up for election this cycle. Voting will take place on August 18, with early voting beginning August 6.
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This story is part of a statewide partnership of 27 nonpartisan newsrooms and universities working to help Florida voters make informed decisions in the 2026 school board elections. Learn more about the Florida Elections Reporting Partnership at floridaelections.org.
