Experience matters in this race for Fort Worth school board. Here’s our recommendation
North side voters have a chance to bring a veteran trustee who’s focused on academic achievement back to Fort Worth ISD. We recommend they vote for Camille Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is one of the candidates to replace Jacinto ‘Cinto’ Ramos Jr., who’s resigning from the District 1 seat after being re-elected just last year.
Rodriguez, 54, is a podiatrist and former substitute teacher who served on the board from 2004 to 2008. Her demeanor and knowledge will help her in the board’s most important tasks: hiring a new superintendent and boosting student achievement in core areas such as reading.
When we asked Rodriguez about the turmoil in Fort Worth ISD over race and equity, her no-nonsense answer was refreshing. “The biggest form of discrimination is kids not receiving a quality education and Fort Worth ISD is failing at that,” Rodriguez said. She’ll champion fairness for disadvantaged students while keeping focus on the important academic issues.
Rodriguez proposed sweeping reviews of the district, including its equity programs and a forensic audit of the budget.
Aaron Garcia, a 32-year-old police officer, is passionate about public service and committed to academic improvement. But he doesn’t seem ready for a board seat. We hope he’ll seek to serve on district committees or at local schools.
The winner will replace Ramos for the remainder of his term, which ends in 2025.
Early voting begins Monday, and Election Day is May 7.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who is behind these endorsements?
Members of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice, decide candidates and positions to recommend to voters. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, opinion writer.
Members of our Community Advisory Board may also participate in candidate interviews and offer their views, but they do not vote on which candidate to recommend.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How does the process work?
The Editorial Board interviews candidates, asking about positions on issues, experience and qualifications, and how they would approach holding the office for which they are running. Board members do additional research on candidates’ backgrounds and the issues at hand. After that, members discuss the candidates and generally aim to arrive at a consensus, though not necessarily unanimity. All members contribute observations and ideas, so the resulting editorials represent the board’s view, not a particular writer.
How do partisanship and ideology factor in?
We’re not tied to one party or the other, and our positions on issues range across the ideological spectrum. We tend to prefer candidates who align with our previously stated positions, but qualifications, temperament and experience are important, too.
