Northwest ISD Place 3 features two excellent candidates. Here’s our endorsement | Opinion
Northwest ISD voters are blessed to choose between two strong candidates in Jeff Dearing and Joe Washam for the open Place 3 seat on the school board.
Both Dearing, a 54-year-old financial advisor and entrepreneur, and Washam, a 44-year-old retired veteran and member of the Dallas Mavericks’ advisory council, offer careful, methodical solutions to serving the district. In our interview with the candidates, Dearing emphasized steady financial planning, and Washam focused on increasing student participation in rigorous academic opportunities. They each have high-schoolers in the school district and a clear, demonstrated commitment to participating in their school community.
Both candidates were rightly aware of how nearby suburbs in Keller and Grapevine-Colleyville have seen their school districts compromised and conflicted by extremist political factions, leading to a diminished commitment to kids and material losses to their opportunities. As Dearing put it in his interview, “When you turn a school board into a political action committee, it’s not a good thing,” and praised the district for blocking out the noise thus far.
Washam agreed with his opponent: “They’re not putting kids first, they’re putting their own agendas first.”
The main difference between the two seemed to be whether the best preparation for the school board was serving within it or advocating for policy that it needs, which Washam has done extensively.
So, both men are qualified and seem likely to make good trustees. We gave a slight edge to Dearing because he’s been involved in the district longer than Washam through his extensive work with a foundation that raises money for schools. With that, though, he’ll need to be mindful of possible conflicts in moving from a group that solicits donations to one that approves contracts.
Regardless, we hope Washam pursues another run at trustee. Or Dearing, if he fails to win Place 3. Again, we have our choice, but there’s no wrong one.
Northwest ISD covers Roanoke to Newark and Aurora 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.
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; Bradford William Davis, columnist and editorial writer; Bud Kennedy, columnist; and Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor.
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.
This story was originally published April 17, 2025 at 5:25 AM.