Considering A School Board Candidate

When I sat down with Jonathan Appleton, I expected to hear the usual talking points. It’s easy to become accustomed to the standard language used in school board campaigns. Phrases such as “improving test scores,” “tightening budgets,” and “restoring values” are often vague enough to mean everything and nothing at the same time.

But Appleton didn’t have a rehearsed speech or vague promises. He spoke to me from personal experience and with a sense of urgency.

Why would he run now, and against a well-established incumbent?

“I wanted to influence my kids’ education,” he told me. “But I really felt like I needed to run when the racism and homophobia in our community became harder to ignore. My kids and their friends were being affected by it. There’s an election coming up, and if I’m going to do something, I need to do it now.” It’s no secret that bullying, especially concerning but certainly not limited to race, is a growing epidemic in our school district.

As a parent of two adopted children of color, Appleton is very concerned and passionate about DEI and bullying in the district. “Come on, it’s 2025,” he said. “We absolutely have to have representation and a safe community for all of the kids. And whatever chapter they’re in, grade they’re in, they need representation and a safe space. That should not even be a question. This is something (where) we need to be on the right side of history.”

His urgency, rooted in experiences rather than vague ideologies, shaped our entire conversation. “Updating our district’s policies on HIB (harassment, intimidation, and bullying) and discrimination. Our policies are outdated compared to surrounding school districts,” he said. “Even your student handbooks are outdated.”

But meaningful change doesn’t end with rewriting policies; it’s also about protecting the people expected to carry out those policies. Appleton said he understood that fostering a safe, inclusive environment for students requires ensuring that staff feel just as supported. That is why he also stressed the importance of fixing the district’s mishandling of the staff freedom of expression policy, a situation that, in his words, “was a mess.”

“We need to make that right,” he said. “Our educators shouldn’t have to be afraid of their personal lives interfering with their jobs.” Our school board has a very obvious problem with not listening to the voices of those they are charged with serving. They ignored pleas from parents, staff members, and even students, all begging the board to reconsider their decision to implement this myopic, and currently suspended, policy.

Appleton told me he believes that transparency isn’t optional; it’s necessary to build a foundation of trust.

“We need to do a better job communicating change. Too often, changes are announced without proper context or warning.” A prime example is the recent staff transfers. Many students are losing teachers, principals, and administrators they care about due to the lack of communication from district leadership and the board.

For school district families, these sudden changes aren’t just inconvenient; they shake the stability and trust that schools should be providing. When communication crumbles the way it has, it leaves parents and students feeling disconnected and unheard. Appleton said that’s why it’s time for a change.

It’s time for a school board that listens, communicates clearly, and can adapt to the evolving needs of our students and community. The world is changing, our students’ needs are changing, and it’s time for the school board members to change too.

Appleton’s vision for this district is rooted in both academic excellence and community transformation. He has a desire to clean up the name of our district, to give it a reputation for being a place of belonging and excellence. “I want people to think, ‘I want to move to this district because of their great education system.’ ” He is dedicated to rebuilding the trust between the community and the board and ensuring that students will no longer have to navigate schools marred by racism, homophobia, or exclusion, and that are focused on increasing unity in our district and creating environments in our schools that every student is proud to be a part of.

Camri Clawson is beginning her senior year at Peninsula High School.