School board candidates Buddy Dunworth, Phylicia Anderson, Tanya Wright, and Charles Stafford steering the future direction of student learning
Vicki Baker
Denton ISD’s current Board of Trustees has been named one of the top five school boards in the state by the Texas Association of School Administrators. They are guardians of the public trust, and their primary focus is academic excellence for all students. The task of educating students is unrelated to politics. Of course, that’s changed in recent years, with partisan battles increasingly playing out in school board races. This recent politicization reveals why it is important to know our school board candidates, because school boards should be focused on students, not the controversies of the day.
School board candidates Charles Stafford, Buddy Dunworth, and Tanya Wright addressed the Robson Ranch Democratic Club at its March membership meeting. The candidates seek leadership roles in one of the fastest-growing school districts in the state, serving more than 32,000 students attending schools in 18 communities across 40 campuses where more than 50 languages are spoken.
Charles Stafford, a senior member of the board, representing Place 5, has 27 years of experience working with the DISD. Having worked in the Texas House of Representatives, he has used that background in DISD’s dealings with school finance and governance issues. Being a parent of two special needs children, he has a reputation for being an extremely strong child advocate. For Stafford’s contributions and accomplishments, visit www.charlesstaffordfordentonisd.com.
Buddy Dunworth, incumbent running for Place 4, has the unique privilege of seeing the district through the eyes of an employee and parent. Holding undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in education, he dedicated 24 years to DISD as a teacher and principal, directly interfacing with students, teachers, and parents. His children are DISD alumni. Throughout his career, he’s worked to enhance campus culture, reduce staff turnover, and drive instructional excellence. Check out Dunworth’s experience and priorities at www.buddydunworthfordentonisdschoolboard.com.
Tanya Wright, candidate for Place 3, is a dedicated DISD parent and active volunteer. She holds a master’s degree in child development and teaching certifications in EC-6, special education, and English as a second language. With children at all three campus levels, she is passionate about strengthening the sense of community within the district and strengthening a sense of security for students and staff. Wright’s background and goals can be found at www.tanyawrightfordentonisd.com.
We must all be unified in our work to build better public schools for a stronger Texas. Come join the Robson Ranch Democratic Club on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the clubhouse. To find out more, visit our website at www.rrdemocraticclub.com, follow us on Facebook, or contact [email protected].