In the 2024 general election, four Greenville County Schools’ board of trustees incumbents are facing opposition on the ballot while Glenda Chatman Morrison-Fair (Area 23) will run opposed. The district’s Area 19 seat is also up for grabs since Debi C. Bush has not sought reelection.
Area 17*
Incumbent: Carolyn Styles
Occupation: Retired school principal
Years as a representative: 4
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I will continue to focus on recruiting, retaining and developing high-quality teachers. Teacher quality is the most crucial factor influencing student achievement. A shortage of qualified teachers impacts students’ learning, places a burden on existing educators, exacerbates teacher burnout and increases the number of teachers leaving the profession. Therefore, it is essential we continue to provide competitive wages and respond to teachers’ concerns regarding career satisfaction. Although change requires a majority vote, I will continue to use my voice to advocate for teachers at the local and state level. Our students deserve the best and brightest teachers!
*The Greenville Journal talked to Lisa Campbell Bracewell Sept. 26 and was told she has pulled out of the race but will still appear on the ballot.
Area 19
Candidate: Scott Cline
Occupation: President and owner of Cline Systems Inc.
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I understand the critical role parents play in their children’s education and am dedicated to ensuring their voices are heard. I value the partnership between parents and teachers, knowing it is key to student success. I have experience managing a multimillion-dollar business (and) I am committed to ensuring every student in the district has the same opportunities my family has enjoyed. My top priorities are students, parents, teachers and taxpayers — focused on academic excellence, parental empowerment, teacher support and responsible budget management.
Candidate: Robert Hamilton
Occupation: Branch manager, South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? I want to work on stopping tax increases, emphasize trade education and allowing outside ABA therapists into classrooms. With a budget of over a billion dollars, we need to take a hard look at efficiency and reduce bureaucracy. Which we have not done. Considering the job market in our community and how high-paying many noncollege fields are, we should be giving these fields the same level of prestige. Finally, we need to listen to the parents, especially those parents of special needs children. ABA therapists cost the schools nothing, and make a big impact in academic outcomes and safety.
Candidate: Dan Healy
Occupation: Self-employed
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? When elected, I plan to make our schools safe again! Our highest priority should be our children; why have we done nothing to keep them safe since Columbine? I plan to stop the LGBTQ+ agenda from being shoved down our children’s throats. Together, we can make GCS great again! I want to ensure that our children make it through school alive, and that they are mentally and emotionally unharmed and protected from the current woke indoctrination.
Candidate: Amanda Stone
Occupation: Former Greenville County Schools teacher
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? As a recent teacher in Greenville County (up until 2022) I recognize that teachers, including myself, are leaving education in large numbers. While in Greenville County Schools I taught second grade and fourth grade, both of which I loved doing. I taught in Greenville County School before, during and after COVID. I saw the shift in respect for teachers during this time. If I was elected to the board to represent Area 19, I would be representing more than Area 19. I would stand up for all students and teachers across the county. I’ve been there firsthand and recognize that things must change.
Area 21
Incumbent: Angie Mosley
Occupation: Owner/director of Junior Cotillion
Years as a representative: 4
What are you planning to work on in your next term? We just completed our five-year strategic plan through a collaborative process that included input from key stakeholders such as parents, teachers, administrators and community members. My role as a member of a “policy” board is to ensure we have sound policies that support our goals for student achievement, attracting and retaining highly qualified teachers, and providing a safe environment. Meaningful “inclusion” in the context of special education is an area of focus for me.
Challenger: Steve Whaley
Occupation: Student transportation subject matter expert
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? This is the reason I’m running for the school board, to address the greatest challenge in our educational system. We have far too many students that have been moved along to the next year without successfully learning and completing grade-level standards. We need to get back to the basics of advancing the fundamentals of reading, writing, math and science and remove all distractions from our classrooms while empowering our teachers to accomplish this most important objective. I am committed to succeeding in this challenge without increasing taxes to our community.
Area 25
Challenger: Greg Cantrell
Occupation: Retired educator
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? School boards members are the closest elected official to the people. If elected, I plan to be accessible, honest and transparent to support students, teachers and community members to ensure optimal academic, extracurricular and athletic success. I will be a liaison to communicate these needs to the superintendent and other board members. I am not running against anyone. I am running to use my expertise of serving 43 years in public schools to better lives and learning of all children in Greenville County.
Incumbent: Michelle Goodwin-Calwile
Occupation: Retired educator
Years as a representative: 8
What are you planning to work on in your next term? (I) plan to continue working on communication to the public about what the school board is responsible for. In our community meetings I teach a civics lesson to the attendees so that they know who to go to for certain issues, concerns and information. I want everyone to be an informed citizen and that they are involved in the electoral process. Since the main purpose of the school board is enacting policy, I want us to look at outdated policies to see if they need to be revised, replaced or deleted. Safe schools is priority!
Challenger: Jack Logan
Occupation: Health care
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? Safer schools and teachers getting better pay.
Area 27
Incumbent: Sarah Dulin
Occupation: School board trustee, full-time parent
Years as a representative: 4
What are you planning to work on in your next term? Our board has no power as individuals, so along with my fellow trustees, I plan to continue to increase security/safety measures, work to improve salaries especially for experienced teachers and aides, plan for building expansions to meet additional demands created by growth in the county, increase availability of services for students with special needs, respect decency laws for curriculum and materials’ content, ensure that classic education and critical-thinking, not ideologies or political agendas, remain the focus in classrooms, and maintain fiscal responsibility.
Challenger: Missey Marsh
Occupation: Project controls
What is the one thing you plan to change if elected? If elected to the school board, I will prioritize a balanced budget without raising taxes by building consensus, which has been missing for years. My focus will be on advocating for improved safety, supporting teachers, championing parent choice and strengthening community collaboration. I’ll prioritize spending that directly benefits students, reduce inefficiencies, and explore alternative funding options like grants and partnerships. Through collaboration and transparent decision-making, we can ensure that taxpayer dollars are used wisely to deliver high-quality educational resources for our students and teachers.
