Hollis Challenges Hudson For Fayetteville School Board Seat

Hudson
Hudson

FAYETTEVILLE -- A former teacher suing the School District wants to oust the School Board president in the Sept. 16 election.

Tim Hollis was a debate coach at Fayetteville High School. He was hired in 1988 and fired in 2012. Tim Hudson is seeking his third five-year term on the board.

Tim Hollis

Age: 63

Residency: Fayetteville since July 8, 2014

Family: Wife, four grown children

Employment: Retired

Education: University of Arkansas, bachelor of arts in speech and dramatic arts, bachelor of science in education degree, master’s degree in dramatic arts

Military Experience: None

Political Experience: None

Tim Hudson

Age: 51

Residency: In Fayetteville Zone 5 since 1996

Family: Wife, two sons

Employment: Washington Regional Medical Foundation, executive director

Education: University of Arkansas, bachelor of arts degree in political science

Military Experience: None

Political Experience: Served two terms on the Fayetteville School Board since 2004

Polling Places

School Board Election

Early voting is available from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Sept. 15. To check voter registration status, find the correct polling place or review sample ballots, go to www.voterview.org. Questions about eligibility should be directed to the County Clerk’s office, 444-1711, prior to Election Day.

Three polling places will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in Fayetteville.

• Central United Methodist Church: 6 W. Dickson St.

• Wiggins Methodist Church: 205 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

• Christ’s Church: 525 W. 15th St.

Source: Washington County Election Commission

At A Glance

Races

These are the candidates in school board elections in Washington County. Candidates running unopposed must collect one vote during early voting to be elected. No school district is requesting a millage increase.

• Springdale: Kathy McFetridge Henry Hudson, Zone 3

• Farmington: Jeff Oxford, Seat 2

• Elkins: Bryan Delozier, Seat 2

• Prairie Grove: Jerry Coyle, Seat 3; J.C. Dobbs, Seat 6

• Lincoln: Kendra Moore, Zone 1

• Greenland: Patrick Anderson, Zone 4; Daniel Marzoni, Zone 5

• West Fork: Brad O. Hardin, Seat 2

Source: Washington County Election Commission

The candidates are seeking the seat in Zone 5, which encompasses central Fayetteville. Only the 6,146 registered voters in the zone can vote for Hudson or Hollis. All of the 50,342 voters in the district are eligible to vote on the millage rate. The ballot question is to retain the rate of 45.65 mills.

Early voting begins Tuesday at the Washington County Clerk's Office.

Hollis said at a candidate forum in August he moved into Zone 5 so he could oppose Hudson. He lived in Garfield for a number of years and said he now resides in an apartment at 905 Lindell St. He registered to vote in Washington County the same day he filed for office.

Hollis said where a person lives shouldn't matter in an election. He said his 25-year teaching career at the high school is more important than Hudson living in Zone 5 since 1997 and serving on the School Board 10 years.

Hudson said living in the zone has served him well because he knows the voters and many of their thoughts about schools. He was unopposed in his first two elections.

Hudson said he wants to continue to work on the final stage of the high school renovation, the continued implementation of Common Core standards and a revised curriculum.

Hudson lead one of two resident committees considering renovating the high school or building a school at another site. The School Board opted for renovation.

Hollis said he's running because, "I have deep concerns about the direction of the district."

Hollis said, "Teachers are left out of the decisions. Teachers are not being heard. There is fear of retaliation if they do speak up."

Teachers had to implement the small learning communities at the high school and many don't like the situation, Hollis said.

Hollis said the most serious issue in the district is losing quality teachers who opt to take early retirement and new teachers who need more mentoring than they receive.

Hudson said he has heard "lots of positive things from teachers and I hear about the problems and challenges."

Hudson said two major issues in the district are the working relationship the superintendent has with the board and district employees and how the district will respond to an expected push from the Legislature next year to open new avenues for charter schools.

Teachers have received about 2 percent pay increases based on years of service for the past several years but the salary schedule hasn't changed.

Despite paying less than other nearby districts, Hudson said teachers choose to apply for jobs in Fayetteville because of the community and the education culture.

"We do step increases every year and that's more money in their pocket, but I hope within the next two years we will be back to looking at salary increases. Our average salary among all teachers is $53,000 to $54,000. I want Fayetteville to maintain its competitiveness," Hudson said.

Salaries for teachers is always a problem, Hollis said. He suggested administrators' salaries be cut to pay teachers more. "Are administrative salaries adjusted based on what they do compared to teachers. We should share the wealth," Hollis said.

As for the attributes he would bring to the position, Hollis said he has a teacher's perspective, he's good at making policy decisions and he's a good listener.

Hudson said he has experience, the temperament for the job and a great appreciation for hard-working teachers. "You have to get along with each other, despite the differences. It's a nonpartisan board. The board is committed to improve the success for students and for the district. It's representative democracy."

The candidates disagreed on moving freshmen to the high school.

Hollis said he's not sure it's a good idea because teachers can better manage the classroom if they have more time with each student. "The more students you have puts more distance from the teacher," he said. "Ninth-grade students are still at a development age."

Hudson said many high schools are grades nine through 12 and a student's high school transcript starts in the ninth grade.

"Ninth grade is part of high school," Hudson said.

Former Superintendent Vicki Thomas fired Hollis for insubordination and making defamatory statements; falsifying district documents and inappropriate use of the district e-mail system. The School Board upheld her decision.

Hollis appealed the board's decision to Washington County Circuit Court. A judge dismissed the case that claimed breach of contract and violation of the Teacher Fair Dismissal Act. He's appealing to the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

Hollis is asking the court to reinstate him with back pay, said Bryce Crawford, Hollis' attorney.

NW News on 09/06/2014

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