Two groups, one that represents Springfield teachers and another that advocates for voting rights, made endorsements in the 2024 race for Springfield Board of Education.
Seven candidates seek three open seats on the board. Incumbents Danielle Kincaid, Scott Crise and Maryam Mohammadkhani are running against challengers Landon McCarter, Susan Provance, Kyler Sherman-Wilkins and Chad Rollins. Each voter who marks a ballot on April 2 will be asked to vote for three of the seven candidates.
Kincaid and Provance earned endorsements from both groups: Vote 417 and the Springfield chapter of the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA). The Springfield MSTA also chose Sherman-Wilkins, while Vote 417 picked Crise.
Teachers group picks one incumbent
The Springfield chapter of the MSTA chose Kincaid, Provance and Sherman-Wilkins based on members’ reviews of questionnaires given to candidates. Jeffrey Pettibone, the union chapter vice president and an English language arts teacher at Cherokee Middle School, said all seven candidates participated in its process.
“We believe the endorsed candidates bring a wealth of experience and passion to the board of education,” Pettibone said. “If elected, we believe that they will contribute to the continued success of Springfield Public Schools.”
Members chose the three based on eight platforms, including a commitment to public education, a personal connection to public schools, educator empathy, collaborative approach, a focus on discipline, staff recruitment and retention, instructional and academic growth, and advocating stakeholder involvement.
According to the group’s Facebook page, only 72 of the group’s about 320 members participated in the survey. Candidates submitted questionnaires by Feb. 19 so that members could review them for at least a week before participating in a weeklong voting period.
Voting totals for the candidates include:
- 17 for Kincaid.
- 15 for Provance.
- 13 for Sherman-Wilkins.
- 9 for McCarter.
- 7 for Crise.
- 6 for Mohammadkhani.
- 5 for Rollins.
The local chapter of the MSTA is a supplemental group for teachers in Springfield Public Schools. For collective bargaining of salaries, teachers are represented by the Springfield NEA, which earlier this year endorsed Mohammadkhani, McCarter and Sherman-Wilkins.
Pettibone said the Springfield chapter plans no campaigning or fundraising for the candidates.
Voting rights group chooses two incumbents
Vote417, a group formed in 2021 to advocate for voting rights, chose Kincaid, Crise and Provance based on a review of public statements. It did not survey candidates through interviews or questionnaires.
“Our understanding is that political action committees are not supposed to coordinate with candidates,” said Jacob Brower, secretary/treasurer for the group. “We made our endorsements based on their public statements and their track record.”
Brower said the group is raising funds to promote its picks, but does not plan to make any donations to the candidates. Vote 417 has not filed any detailed fundraising reports yet with the Missouri Ethics Commission for the April 2024 election. In 2023, it ran advertisements supporting candidates Shurita Thomas-Tate and Judy Brunner.
Reporter’s note, March 4: This report has been edited to correct a title and expenditure details.
