Crim Concedes District 10 Race

As morning breaks today, I see that Faye Robinson has been elected as the school board member for District 10. I’d like to thank Ms. Robinson for a campaign that was generally free of the mudslinging that we saw in some other school board races, and I congratulate her on her victory.

That said, I would like to remind Ms. Robinson that the 30 percent of District 10 voters who did not vote for her, and the even larger percentage of the District 10 population who were not sufficiently motivated by either of our campaigns to vote at all are now her constituents. It is the job of elected leaders to hear and be informed by the voices of all their constituents, not just those whose votes can be counted on in the next election. It is the job of the school board member to seek strong public schools that serve all students, not to be beholden to the agendas of groups that may have provided publicity and funding to campaigns. I hope Ms. Robinson can hear these principles and be guided by them.

My campaign for Hamilton County School Board was always built on a life of service to public education. I always seek to give back to the system that gave me the foundation for my success in life. As we register my son today for his next year in Hamilton County Schools, I am aware that the School Board is only one way of continuing that commitment. I am not going anywhere. My megaphone may not be as loud, but I will still be a voice crying for the inclusion of autistic and other neurodiverse students, minorities, LGBTQ+ families and students, and other marginalized and overlooked people. My voice will still champion diversity and inclusion. I will still cry for the justice of treating teachers, librarians, and other educators like the professionals they are. I will do this, even if my voice is crying in the wilderness.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate my colleagues Karitsa Mosley Jones, Jill Black and Ben Connor on their hard-won victories. I know we can expect great leadership from you.

Jeff Crim