Two candidates in race for School Board's District 4

Flagler County School Board Chair Trevor Tucker is running for a fourth term. Christy Chong has also filed for the District 4 seat.

They are the only two active candidates in the race. Three other candidates have withdrawn.

Tucker said he decided in December to run for the fourth time. Chong, a family nurse practitioner, said she had been thinking about running for about a year but didn't make up her mind until meeting with School Board member Jill Woolbright and Shannon Rambow, the Flagler County Chapter chair of Moms for Liberty.

Tucker has been a School Board member since January, 2010, when he was appointed by the governor to finish out the term of late School Board member Peter Palmer. Tucker won his first election later that year.

"How do we get those students who were behind (after remote learning) back on track? It's a nationwide issue. We were ahead of the curve, but you still have time missed that you have to make up."

TREVOR TUCKER

He said his most important reason for running again is having two children, ages 13 and 17, who are students in Flagler Schools, with an 8-month-old who will be starting school in a few years.

"It's a little selfish for my children, but it's for everybody's children," he said.

Chong also has two children who attend Flagler County schools and a 4-year-old who will be starting in the fall.

"I think parents should get involved and not just complain about it on social media," she said.

Tucker said the most important issue facing the school district is students' academic loss triggered by the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.

While Flagler County was well prepared for remote learning, it was not the same as being in a classroom with a teacher, and many students fell behind, he said.

"How do we get those students who were behind back on track?" Tucker asks. "It's a nationwide issue. We had less down time in Florida. We were ahead of the curve, but you still have time missed that you have to make up."

"I want to make reading and literacy a priority and make sure our children are prepared for the future and know that they have a purpose and identity, not to be confused about who they are but become adults that can lead us into the future."

CHRISTY CHONG

Chong said indoctrination and parental rights are major issues.

"I want to make reading and literacy a priority and make sure our children are prepared for the future and know that they have a purpose and identity, not to be confused about who they are but become adults that can lead us into the future," she said. "We also need to make sure we are doing the most that we can to make our students and teachers safe in today's world."

Tucker has no contributions listed so far. He said he doesn't begin campaigning until closer to the Aug. 23 primary. Chong has $2,100 in contributions listed — $2,000 are self-contributions — and $698.71 of expenditures for signs.