School board races don’t often galvanize communities, but more than 400 people are already getting e-mails from a group called Forward Albemarle. Its mission is to promote diversity, equity, inclusivity and excellence in public schools – and to avoid what has happened in Spotsylvania County.
There, a group backed by MAGA Republicans, organized to elect a majority on the board of education – candidates with a disruptive agenda.
“The first order of business was to fire the superintendent. The next order they had was to ban books," says Amy Laufer, a former school board member in Charlottesville and a progressive candidate for the General Assembly.
“There are national groups that are contributing money and volunteers to galvanize people to vote a certain way.”
She notes the new board in Spotsylvania replaced its award-winning superintendent with a guy who had no experience in public education and whose kids were home-schooled. Laufer and other leaders in Albemarle are now recruiting candidates for a school board election in November of 2023.
“There are four open seats in Albemarle County this next election, so we kind of wanted to get a head start,” Laufer explains.
Noting that Spotsylvania County now has hundreds of vacancies in its school district, Laufer and her allies also vow to support teachers and staff.
