The school board has struggled with funding recently, shutting down programs and firing staff, but the candidates are ready to make changes that impact everyone in Olympia High School. 

Election month is just around the corner, and the school board election might have lasting impacts on artificial intelligence use, phone policy and teacher employment at OHS.

On Friday, Oct. 17th, three of the four school board candidates: Gilbert Lamont, Emily Leddige and Renee Fullerton, answered student-generated questions at a forum at OHS. Lamont and Leddige are running against each other, and Fullerton is running against Rhyan Smith, who did not attend the forum. Many of the discussed topics directly impact both students and teachers. 

There are very few reasons to run in a school board election, as being on the board is an unpaid position, causing many to ask why they run. “[The candidates care] a lot about the community and a lot of them have specific issues that they want to target,” explains Vy Le, the OHS student representative for the school board and organizer of the candidate forum. 

The candidates may agree on most policies, but they often give priority to different issues. While Lamont and Leddige both largely focus on budgeting, Fullerton wants to give students more post-education options via career and technical education.

It is important to note that the candidates all have children in the Olympia School District. Because of this, the candidates know and care about the issues present within the district, but they may have different concerns based on how old their children are. To minimize bias, most make an effort to interact with the community to learn which topics are the most pressing. 

One topic popular among high schoolers is the question of phones in classrooms– an important issue among both voters and candidates. When asked in a yes/no format if phones belong in classrooms, Lamont answered no, Leddige replied yes, and Fullerton said no. The candidates were also asked if cell phones belong in school as a whole, and all three said yes. 

Another hot topic among voters is the use of AI in schools. Because AI is a relatively new technology, policies on it are often rushed and need elaboration, especially in their language about how to use AI responsibly. “[The new AI policy puts] a lot of responsibility on the student … [and] as a society, we don’t know what it means to use AI responsibly,” Fullerton said in the forum. 

Mike Schaefer, who teaches political science and civics, added that “the language [about responsible AI use] itself is a bit nebulous.” Schaefer’s idea, which is very similar to the ideas of the school board candidates, is to “use [AI] to learn, not instead of learning.” Another issue that Schaefer highlights is the budget: “any time the budget comes up, [there are] concerns and talks about cuts.” 

The OSD is currently in a funding deficit, meaning it is spending more than it brings in. Sometimes, a reduction in force is needed, meaning certain people or services get cut to reduce spending, such as teachers, janitorial staff and certain programs like music. Schools rarely shut down entirely, but it is possible, especially if families have relocated.

Some of the candidates believe that the school board could be managing its finances better. “The board should focus more on budget year-round; it [shouldn’t be] spring coming along and everyone panics about the budget for next year,” Lamont said. ‘I want to be able to be more efficient with the money and the budget, and be able to address the concerns that the public [has],” Leddige said.

The way that budgeting and other concerns will be addressed is through candidates being elected this November. 2025 is considered an “off year,” meaning only local elections will be held, including the two open school board positions. 

Often, elections in off years can be swayed more easily due to lower voter turnout. “Name recognition … [is] why yard signs in local elections [are invested in by candidates],” explained Schaefer. A difference of a few thousand votes can change the result, but the people who are impacted often can’t.

Most OHS students are currently unable to vote because they will not be 18 by election day. Student voice is important in elections that directly impact schools, but students are often the least represented demographic due to their inability to vote. Schaefer recommends speaking with people who can vote, especially on social media.

Many students care about what happens to them and their teachers, but most can’t vote. This election will impact everyone in the OSD, so it is important for community members to speak out for the candidates they believe should win.