Northwest ISD’s growing pains demand steady leaders. Here’s our Place 7 board recommendation | Opinion
The Northwest ISD must be doing something right: Thousands of families are flocking there.
Managing that growth is the highest priority for school board members, and so far, they’re doing the job.
In Place 7, that means incumbent Jennifer Murphy, 46, has earned a second term.
Murphy, who works as the director for foundation relations at Texas Wesleyan University, has been a consistent contributor to the district. Her first election and term started during the COVID pandemic in 2020. Murphy expresses a strong dedication to her community and the district, where schools are spread out across three counties. She’s aware of the need to facilitate growth in a way that people still feel connected to their community.
As a board member, she supported — and continues to support — the bond proposal which would fund about a dozen new schools and provide for other renovations. Murphy answers well the questions about why the district should borrow so much at once. Like other board members, even on the possibly unpopular sports facilities bond, she notes the pains of playing Thursday night football games and then trying to get kids through school on Fridays.
In NISD, a staunch conservative PAC is pushing a slate of candidates, including an opponent for Murphy. She stressed that she’s not interested in bringing partisan infighting to the school board but rather representing schools and families in the area.
Michelle Slater, Murphy’s opponent, did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.
Northwest ISD covers Roanoke to New Fairview and is one of the fastest-growing school districts in Fort Worth and its surrounding counties. School board members are elected to three-year terms. Members are elected at-large and represent the entire district.
Early voting starts April 24 and ends May 2. Election day is May 6.
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.
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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.