Janie Ruddy, Flagler County School Board Candidate District 3: The Live Interview Template

Janie Ruddy is one of four candidates in two races for Flagler County School Board in the Aug. 20 primary, facing Derek Barrs in District 3. The District 3 and District 5 seats are both open as incumbents Colleen Conklin and Cheryl Massaro have opted not to run again.

School board elections are non-partisan races: all registered voters in Flagler County are eligible to cast a ballot in the two races–whether registered Democratic, Republican, Independent or from a minor party.

If you are a registered voter in Flagler County, you may cast a vote in both races regardless of the district, the town or the subdivision you live in–or whether you are out of state or living abroad, in which case absentee ballots may be sent in.

The election on Aug. 20 will decide the winners in District 3 between Derek Barrs and Janie Ruddy, and in District 5 between Lauren Ramirez and Vincent Sullivan. There will be no runoff.

School board members serve four-year terms and are paid $41,000 a year. The amount is set by the Legislature, not the local school board. It increases by a shade under $1,000 each year. In 2022 the Legislature passed HB1467, a bill that institutes a 12-year term limit for school board members. But the clock didn’t start ticking until November 2022. The restriction is on consecutive years only. The longest any school board member will have served when the new members are sworn in, in November, will be two years.




FlaglerLive submitted identical questions to all candidates, with the understanding that additional questions might be tailored to candidates individually and some follow-up questions may be asked, with all exchanges conducted by email and on the record.

The Live Interview’s aim is to elicit as much candor and transparency as possible. We have asked candidates to refrain from making campaign speeches or make lists of accomplishments. We have also asked candidates to reasonably document their claims. It’s ultimately up to the reader to judge the quality and sincerity of a candidate’s answers.

 

The Questions in Summary: Quick Links

• • Basics
  • Preparation and character
  • Vision
  • Grading current board
  • Cutting programs
  • New levy
  • Enrollment 
  • B-rated district
  • Evaluating Superintendent Moore
  • Armed civilians in schools
  • Religious expression
  • Pronouns
  • Rap sheet

 

The Basics: Janie Ruddy

Place and Date of Birth: Niagara Falls, New York, January 15, 1974.
Current job: Director of Professional Learning, n2y.
Political affiliation: Democrat.(*)
Financial disclosure.
Resume.

1.  How have you prepared yourself to be ready to succeed from day one, and what is your method at arriving at decisions? Tell us about the character flaws and unique perspectives you bring to the commission, and how you handle your mistakes or misjudgments. Who do you admire most in office today among elected officials in Flagler County—the person you’d consider a model of leadership? Who in the world at large (beyond Flagler), and among the living, do you consider a role model of political or intellectual leadership?

I believe my extensive experience spanning over 20 years has uniquely prepared me for this role. During my 13-year tenure as a teacher, I consistently took on additional support roles and volunteered to sponsor programs, enriching students’ educational experiences beyond the classroom. This hands-on involvement provided me with deep insights into the inner workings of our school system. Each year, I dedicated myself to honing my teaching skills through professional development and achieving additional certifications and degrees, including a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology and National Board Teacher Certification.




Transitioning from the classroom, I joined Instructure,  the creators of the Canvas Learning Management system, eight years ago as a Learning Specialist. I supported K-12 educators, district staff, and postsecondary professors nationwide, focusing on developing engaging content for virtual and blended learning environments. My experience at Instructure not only highlighted the potential of technology to enhance learning but also deepened my understanding of its challenges. I was promoted to Senior Manager, further solidifying my leadership and strategic decision-making skills.

Currently, as Director of Professional Learning at n2y, I lead initiatives supporting K-12 service providers in implementing curriculum for special needs students and integrating software solutions tailored to unique learning needs. This role has expanded my perspective on educational accessibility and the importance of inclusive learning environments.

My method of arriving at decisions is rooted in comprehensive analysis, drawing from my diverse background in education and technology. I prioritize gathering input from stakeholders, leveraging data-driven insights, and considering the long-term impact and potential risks of decisions on students, educators, and the community. This approach ensures that decisions are well-informed and aligned with our shared goal of advancing educational excellence.

As I lead large initiatives and programs, I can often visualize the end product or process. I am aware that others often see obstacles and need to have those obstacles addressed in detail before they can feel comfortable to get to the same vision. I seek out and collaborate with detail focused individuals to challenge my ideas and help provide solutions, allowing me to refine and address the impacts to other individuals or areas of a program or process.

My career spans diverse roles including teacher, educational technology manager, special education curriculum director, and business leader, all of which uniquely qualify me for a seat on the school board.

When initiating new projects, I employ retrospectives to continuously improve. These retrospectives enable me to identify what’s working well, where additional resources are needed, and what aspects need adjustment or discontinuation for enhanced productivity. I am aware that perfection is unrealistic; therefore, I openly acknowledge and take responsibility for mistakes. I collaborate with affected team members to correct the course promptly and document lessons to avoid similar mistakes.

Recognizing the importance of self-awareness, I actively seek feedback through team and personal retrospectives to identify any patterns of misjudgment. When necessary, I seek mentorship, engage in professional development, or consult with colleagues who challenge me to grow and improve.

Among elected leaders I admire Sheriff Staley, Andy Dance and Colleen Conklin. Sheriff Staly has shown his courage during his heroic act to save the life of a fellow officer while being willing to sacrifice himself, resulting in his being shot three times. Many people talk about leadership and acts of service, but Sheriff Staly embodies these qualities. Flagler County is fortunate to have his oversight and common-sense leadership.

I also admired Andy Dance and Colleen Conklin’s tenures. Andy Dance was frequently present on campuses and at community events, actively engaging with the community to make decisions based on the desires of school faculty, parents, and students. During his tenure with Flagler County Schools, his political beliefs did not overshadow his dedication to serving students.

Similarly, I greatly admire the outstanding work Colleen Conklin has done during her time on the school board, particularly in guiding our district through the challenges of the recession and Covid-19. She has consistently demonstrated professionalism and made decisions grounded in research.

One notable intellectual who has made a significant impact on improving access to quality education whom I admire is Malala Yousafzai. In her home town within Pakistan, the Taliban had banned girls from attending school. Despite the constant threats under Taliban rule,  Malala has shone a light where girls are being suppressed and denied any access to an education. As a mom of three girls, I try to remind them how fortunate they are to have access to amazing school facilities, access to education, and to never take that for granted.




Beyond your rich experience as an educator, how have you prepared for the position of school board member in order to be ready from day one in November–attending board meetings, studying the budget, meeting with the district’s directors and superintendent, engaging with current board members and community residents to understand concerns, that sort of thing. 

I took several steps in order to prepare myself as a candidate and to review what changes have taken place since I transitioned into working for Canvas LMS and now n2y. First, I held regular sessions with current educators in our district. This helped me gain insight into new safety protocols, how the district has worked to comply with HB 1069, challenges that the expiration of ESSR funds is creating as well as how students have been progressing in making up ground from learning losses experienced during the remote instruction due to Covid.

I have also met with several current School Board members who I have seen make strides in moving forward initiatives, as well as past school board members who I felt did a great job of putting students and educators first and above partisan agendas. I listened to parents at events asking them how we can strengthen our partnerships and finally, I have met with members of the Flagler Teacher’s Union as well as Superintendent Moore to discuss how the school board can help achieve our common strategic goals.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

2.  Beyond the essentials (proficiency and better in all fields) and the slogans (“Flagler Forward” etc.), what is your realistic vision for public education in Flagler County and how are you uniquely qualified to help enact it within the limitations of the job? How will you interact with the community?

My realistic vision centers on three key priorities:

Firstly, I aim to enhance career and college readiness by ensuring our students are actively recruited for direct-to-career opportunities and scholarships.

Secondly, I believe in achieving quality education for every student through strategic collaboration between campuses and district curriculum departments. By regularly reviewing initiative results and supporting effective instructional strategies, we can ensure that all classrooms deliver high-quality instruction, ultimately aiming to regain an ‘A’ rating.

Lastly, I am committed to fostering a positive culture and improving retention of teachers, paraprofessionals, guidance counselors and the extended district staff. A culture built on mutual respect, trust, and a presumption of positive intent is essential for progress. By creating an environment where team members thrive and feel valued, we can establish Flagler County Schools as an organization that attracts top talent, resulting in a waitlist of highly qualified applicants for every position.

My unique qualifications stem from my extensive experience in education leadership and deep understanding of our community’s needs. I have a proven track record of implementing collaborative initiatives that improve educational outcomes. As a proactive communicator, I will engage with the community regularly, seeking input and fostering transparency in decision-making through virtual chats and providing comprehensive details on key initiatives. Additionally, I will conduct regular listening tours to ensure community voices are heard and considered.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

3. Give the current board a letter grade on its performance in the last two years. Explain with two or three specific examples where it has been lacking and two or three where it has excelled, and what specific experience and qualities you will bring to improve its effectiveness and consensus-building.

I could not justify giving our school board a grade higher than a B since the organization they serve did not score higher than a B.




A few specific examples of where the school board has been lacking:

• Fiscal Responsibility – Clear communication as to where School Board Attorney Kristy Gavin was failing in her role to warrant the loss of an estimated $150,000 of taxpayer funds has not been established. Also related, is the School Boards impact fee request. I applaud the initiative and the progress made in gaining the county’s approval but I feel they missed an opportunity to create a scaled increase based upon home size. The same impact fee for a 1200 square foot home as a 3000 square foot home disproportionately burdens lower income and retired home buyers. While not necessarily the fault of the current board members, the action to address impact fees was long overdue.

• Discord and personal politics have been the central focus creating a break in trust between our school district, school board and parents. This behavior affects an organization’s ability to attract and retain talent and is clearly affecting parents who are choosing other options to educate their children, made evident as the enrollment numbers have not proportionally increased with our population.

• This past year, over $700,000 of funds were stolen through a scheme using public information related to the Matanzas High School project. Every organization now requires training to spot such schemes. During my conversations with staff across the county, cybercrime and data security practices have not kept up with the tactics criminals are using.

A few areas where praise is due includes:

• Significant structural safety updates have been made to campuses and early warning indicator devices for every staff member have been provided. These devices are simple and safe to use but sophisticated to warn all on campus not only for potential large scale threats but also for more common emergencies.

• The unanimous decision to appoint LaShakia Moore to the role of Superintendent promoted a proven leader with deep connections to our community and provided savings by reducing time and money on recruitment efforts.

How would calibrating impact fees to the size of single-family homes be legal under current Florida law? And considering the continuing lack of growth in the district’s enrollment after 17 years, as we have seen yet again this year, were the forces opposing the doubling of impact fees but accepting a gradual increase (for every 500 net students added to enrollment numbers)  not proven to be prudent, putting the matter to rest for now?

I understand this is not popular with the real estate groups and chamber of commerce. However, it is the prudent way to not create widespread tax increases for all residents and will also help to moderate growth to a more manageable level. I appreciate that realtors help us find our first homes, help build our community, but when their commission is based upon a percentage and that percentage of 6% equates to $18,000 on the sale of a home based upon an average cost of 300k, that is more than the impact fee proposal and the impact fee is a one time charge whereas the realtor’s rate is collected every time the home is sold. 

Furthermore, there are limits to ensure increases to impact fees are reasonable and there is a burden of proof called the “rational nexus test” that must be met in order to justify and prove those fees are needed so there are checks and balances in place.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

4. If a recession coincides with your term and the district is faced with cuts, as it was between 2008 and 2010, what two or three program areas, aside from instruction, would you consider cutting, and what areas would you consider too critical?

Instead of a base year property tax assessment method, Florida’s property taxes adjust each year based upon market value. This is devastating when recessions do hit. We have had several years of rapidly increasing property values culminating in almost doubling of those values for the last two years while not increasing student populations that increased tax dollars from new home builds bring. When these outlier years result in sharp increases in tax dollars, those funds should be treated as rainy day funds and not as the new ‘normal’ budget. I strongly believe we should be just as wise in the planning of reserve funds as we do in expenditures.




Every community member expects us to balance a budget and would prefer strategic efficiencies and spending cuts than incurring debt. Just as any household, there are times when alternatives must be explored like buying used equipment or furniture rather than new, being more mindful of resources and utilities. When that is not enough, each program should be reviewed using a matrix weighting the programs based upon alignment to the strategic initiatives,  results produced by the programs, and community input. Areas, at this time I feel are most critical to maintain funding  are related to school safety, special education, advanced placement and International Baccalaureate Programs, and vocational preparation programs.

As you can see from this graph, the school tax rate has decreased almost every year since 1996, negating property value increases. But the tax rate is set by lawmakers in Tallahassee, not by the local school board, which has no authority over taxes except in terms of the half-cent sales tax levy or the quarter-mil discretionary levy it lost in 2013, and that we ask you about below. Given the constraints, how can anything like a rainy day fund be built, other than improving reserves?

In many cases, and not an exaggeration, values after homestead credits are taken have increased by 200 percent over a 10 year period. Your graph shows the millage, not the revenue brought in from that millage. It would actually make sense that schools would need to increase millage when property values drop to maintain budget (if they were not creating reserves) and it makes sense that the millage can stay the same or drop when values skyrocket. Even though the millage drops or remains the same, the revenue can remain consistent.

Here is how it breaks down and why we need to look at average taxes collection compared to inflation rather than millage alone:

Example Home Value 2008 where the millage was 7.618 – $100,000 home value, $25,000 homestead = $75,000 in taxable value. 

Home Value 2022 where the millage was 5.865 – $250,000 house, $25,000 homestead  = $225,000 in taxable value, taxes for schools realized in 2008 on this property would equal $571.35 

Taxes for schools realized in 2022 on this same property, at the lower millage with higher property value = $1,319.625

Adjusted for inflation $571 in 2008 equals $778 in 2022, but the taxes collected are well above that level therefore, exceeding an average 3 percent year over year inflation adjustment.

This also does not account for the increase in homes built on previously vacant lots, that improvement also brings in additional funds, although also creates additional burdens on the need for capital expenditures. 

The larger concern around school funding is tracking the movement of funds to new buckets to really understand the impacts. The 2023 changes were significant. The base funding removed the following categories placing them into one large category called the Base Student Allocation:

• Teacher Salary Increases Allocation

• Reading Allocation

• Instructional Supplies Allocation

• Sparsity Supplement

• Instructional Materials

• Total Funds Compression

A large chunk of increases required now for instructional salary increases are coming from these areas.The state’s portion increased by 6.84 percent when compared to the previous year but the local requirement has increased to 11.77 percent all while more and more state regulations require more spending to comply. Therefore, I hold firm that I do not believe we need to resolve this by increasing the mill, nor increasing sales taxes, instead our state government needs to manage their funds better and invest in our schools to attract businesses, retain property values which continues to fund the tax base. 

See how Derek Barrs answered.

5. In 2022 the district successfully renewed its half-penny sales surtax. It was not as fortunate a little over 10 years ago when it attempted to renew a 25-cent property tax levy, and add 25 cents. Instead, it lost both, substantially lowering local, discretionary revenue. With the County Commission exploring ways to diminish its financial burden for school security, do you favor attempting to ask voters again for either a 25 or 50 cent levy?

Community members are highly supportive of our schools and often volunteer generous support for special initiatives. As Floridians, we are one of only nine states not subjected to state or local taxes and that allows for some grace with property taxes, sales taxes, impact fees but there is a limit, especially during times of recession or economic recovery. Flagler County has pockets of great wealth but overall, many of our schools are considered Title I schools or have qualified for Title I funding at some point in the last five years.  Title I funding is designed to help schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families, ensuring that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Our property tax rates in 2023 placed Flagler county 36th in the state based upon median property tax but 44th in the state for median income. This shows a clear misalignment between income and taxation. Placing burdens on families while we are wrestling with record inflation will increase stress on children, reduce parents’ ability to provide needs and experiences  creating new challenges for schools to overcome.

Higher taxes will also reduce our ability to attract talent. The average barista at Starbucks earns $17.50 per hour while starting paraprofessional earns $15 per hour and are often on the receiving end of physical injury. Teachers’ starting salaries have been increased to about $49,000 but from there take 3 years to receive a 5% increase while those on social security over that same three year time period will, on average, see a 9.6% increase. A whopping $9.85 per hour is deducted for family health insurance premiums, before staff can use a penny for home expenses.  The number of people who can even afford to choose a career in education without new tax increases is already posing a problem.

Many of the numerous regulations and laws recently placed on schools by the state government are driving new and substantial expenditures for schools. One example is Beanstack. A software to register each book in a teacher’s classroom and the library to comply with one portion of House Bill 1467. The School Board can petition and lobby the state for assistance in meeting the requirements of such laws. I would want to ensure that we have reviewed expenses related to legislation, especially over the last five years, and advocated for those dollars.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

6. Flagler County’s population has grown substantially in the last decade and a half, but this was the first year that the district saw an enrollment increase. Private, religious, virtual and charter schools and home-schooling have successfully eroded public education’s share of students, and private-school subsidies from the state help continue that trend. What is the future of traditional public education in your view, and are Flagler schools doing enough to counter enrollment erosion from traditional public schools?

Conversations from parents I have spoken to over the years more often than not choose alternatives to public school for reasons other than academic rigor. Typically reasons are due to the school environment. If evaluated on opportunities, experiences and success after K-12 years I truly believe public education in Flagler County sets students up for success in higher education efforts and to collaborate in a diverse workplace. As a parent I relate to the instinct to protect children from any negative experiences. Parents have shared concerns over the matrix used to evaluate reported bullying cases and student on student violence is not perceived as being controlled effectively in middle school. One of my top three priorities is to cultivate a positive culture and regain the trust of parents.

You raise a central concern that may be contributing to that erosion–bullying–but you do not give us a realistic or concrete proposal that might effectively start regaining parents’ concerns. What proposal would that be?

You are correct, I have not established an answer as to how to modify the matrix. This would require a collaboration with parents, student advocates, school leadership and teachers. We need to perform an analysis to determine the effectiveness in protecting kids and teaching children the importance of mutual respect. An action committee of these stakeholders would need to begin with a needs analysis and true retrospective of the matrix. What I do know is that I have heard from parents as this is one reason where trust was fractured and they chose to pursue other avenues to fulfill their child’s education. We need to uncover the extent that this may be happening and where the process can be updated.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

7. Since 2012, the Flagler school district has earned an A rating only once. It’s been a B-rated district the rest of the time. Why? What will you do to ensure an A rating during your tenure?

I served as a teacher between the years of 2003 and 2016. My children have attended Flagler County public schools from 2008 up to present day.  Beginning around 2011, initiatives to eliminate grades for work completed outside of the class time, the unlimited ability of students to retake chapter tests, and the lack of centralized guidance over grading policies to the point that within a school, in the same grade level, grades can be calculated or weighted in as many different ways as there are teachers. This causes parents to challenge discrepancies between teachers’ expectations on their students’ performance. Instead of coming together to make clear guidelines for effective, age appropriate practice of skills, grade calculations, and assessment rigor, district leadership left these decisions to the schools which in turn often leave them up to teachers, again flaming discord between parents and teachers. Parents want the very best for their children and have them appropriately challenged to be ready to compete in the workforce. Instead, the divisive culture that has come to a head in the last five years did not address needed policies or provide clarity for parents and educators, resulting in large reductions of homework, has allowed for test corrections to count toward test retake scores, and forced a teaching to the book curriculum, all contributing to an erosion of proper rigor.

As a school board member, I plan to promote strategic collaboration, study of instructional strategies, and opening the ability of service providers to share what resources and policies are needed from district curriculum leadership offices and hold them accountable for fulfilling those needs.  I believe this will put Flagler County Schools on the path to the A rating.

Do we not live in a county where anyone suggesting there isn’t enough homework, or that the curriculum’s applications isn’t rigorous enough, or that mulligans on tests must end, risks getting run out of town on a rail? Are you willing to take that kind of risk, and if so, how would you translate that into a priority on a board that, given its own suspect rigors, might resist you? 

The central message of my campaign is achieving real results and real solutions for students. Just as practice is essential for learning an instrument or mastering a trade, it’s crucial for writing, solving equations, and conducting scientific studies. I believe appropriate homework works but needs rebranding, and we need to provide professional development for staff on effective independent practice (first attempt at a rebrand? I am sure a PR team can do better).

In my early years, I assigned homework without considering its effectiveness, mirroring my own student experiences. I am not suggesting a return to daily, extended assignments that cause stress on families. 

A pivotal professional learning course taught me two key things:

1. Immediate feedback is essential. Assigning homework without timely feedback misses the opportunity for students to correct misconceptions.
2. Guided practice is crucial before independent practice. For example, when teaching the Pythagorean theorem, students need guided practice first or I saw students memorizing the incorrect process. Initial independent practice should identify misunderstandings and allow students to identify plans to remember correct procedures.

Research has shown when students are taught to a high expectation they raise up to that level. Parents want to be a partner in their child’s education and can do so by supporting the importance of independent practice with simple strategies. Technology can help by increasing the creativity of independent practice and just in time feedback. 

Often, students’ first chance to independently demonstrate their skills is during tests, leading to underperformance. We need to change this approach to ensure students are prepared and confident in their skills. Let’s work together to make independent practice (name under construction) a more effective and supportive part of their learning journey.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

8. Evaluate Superintendent LaShakia Moore as a leader, an innovator and a navigator of what has been the most challenging, and at times embarrassing, local government board in Flagler County.

I know LaShakia from years where she and I served at Rymfire Elementary School as Academic Support Team members. She is extremely hard working and pushes herself to excel and expects the same of others. She spends considerable time when developing initiatives to make sure the vision and goals are clear, her role as navigator is her strongest attribute. She is new in her role as a district leader. Large organizational change takes time under the best of circumstances. I have no doubt that she is refining and researching leadership strategies to tackle initiatives for the upcoming school year. I see an opportunity for her to benefit from a school board less focused on personal agendas and provide more support to help incubate innovative solutions to the 21st century challenges facing our schools.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

9. Where do you stand on arming school personnel? If supportive, what ratio of armed personnel-to-students would you consider reasonable?

The extensive structural safety improvements and tools made to our schools should be better communicated to parents. Previously I mentioned perimeter security, control of access to classrooms once inside the perimeter, powerful early warning tools, and regular drills allowing students to be protected if a breach occurred. Arming staff is not fully tested and is an unknown additional cost in purchasing guns, additional insurance costs, and storage costs. We have SRO’s who are highly trained to use force if necessary who are highly trained law enforcement personnel.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

10. Beyond the right to private expression, which has always included students’ and personnel’s right to pray outside of instructional time, what school-sponsored religious expression do you consider permissible, and where do you draw the line?

I do support the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, which does mention God.  The Pledge fosters civic responsibility among students and provides a moment in the day for us to reflect on all that we have and the sacrifice it took to allow our students to be able to attend well appointed schools, in comfortable air conditioning, supportive environments, and have an opportunity to propel yourself towards your goals.

In the coming years the board will decide whether, and to what extent, chaplains should be allowed into schools to interact with students, now that state law provides for that allowance. How would you craft that policy–with what parameters and attention to diversity, and where would you draw the line in the kind of chaplains (denominations, sects, cults) that would be allowed? 

Crafting a policy for chaplains in schools requires a careful balance between respecting diverse beliefs and maintaining an inclusive environment for all students and making sure parent’s choice for their child to participate is the cornerstone.

Here’s how I would approach it:

The policy should ensure that chaplains from a variety of denominations and faiths are represented to reflect the diverse religious landscape of our community.

Interaction with chaplains should be entirely voluntary for students. No student should feel pressured or coerced into participating in religious activities. Clear consent protocols should be established, with opt-in forms signed by parents or guardians.

Chaplains should undergo thorough training on the separation of church and state. They should agree to strict guidelines that prevent them from imposing their beliefs on students.

Establish a steering committee to oversee the chaplain program, including members from various faiths, parents, educators, and community leaders to ensure adherence to the policy, address any concerns, and make adjustments as needed. Additionally, this steering committee should hold open forums for feedback that will help build trust and address any concerns.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

11. You’re having a conversation with a student. The student requests that you refer to them by gender-neutral pronouns. Do you comply?

I will adhere to the current statutes at the time of this request. If these statutes permit it, I will honor the decision made by parents and students, including when parents of students under 18 have expressly requested it.

As we learned from other interviews here, the question was poorly phrased: You are not necessarily having the conversation on school grounds or in the context of a school function, but person to person, let’s say during a chance encounter and conversation you’re having with the student at Publix, at church or at a restaurant. How would you react, or respond?

I have and I would choose to not create stress or anxiety for a child and I would honor their request where I am able to do so. The manner is one to be addressed between the child and their family.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

12. Have you ever been charged with a felony or a misdemeanor anywhere in Flagler, Florida or the United States (other than a speeding ticket), or faced a civil action other than a divorce, but including bankruptcies, or faced any investigative or disciplinary action through a professional board such as the bar or a medical board? Have you ever been demoted? If so, please explain, including cases where charges or claims did not lead to conviction or disciplinary action.

No.

See how Derek Barrs answered.

(*) Janie Ruddy added this note to her political affiliation designation: “I focus on the platform, voting history, and solutions to current issues when voting for candidates. I was listed as an Independent for many years as I prefer not to treat my vote as a team alliance but rather upon the merits of the candidacy and their fitness, in my estimation, for the current challenges ahead. Florida’s primary laws do not allow for voters to participate without defining a party line. During the last 10 years I felt it was essential to take part in primary elections and chose to change my voter registration to Democrat.”

The 2024 Live Interviews Flagler County School Board Derek Barrs, Dist. 3 Janie Ruddy, Dist. 3 Lauren Ramirez, Dist. 5 Vincent Sullivan, Dist. 5 Flagler County Commission Andy Dance, Dist. 1 Fernando Melendez, Dist. 1 Kim Carney, Dist. 3 Bill Clark, Dist. 3 Nick Klufas, Dist. 3 Ed Danko, Dist. 5 Pam Richardson, Dist. 5 Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin Peter Johnson Alan Lowe Cornelia Manfre Mike Norris Palm Coast City Council Kathy Austrino, Dist. 1 Shara Brodsky, Dist. 1 Ty Miller, Dist. 1 Jeffrey Seib, Dist. 1 Dana Stancel, Dist. 3 Ray Stevens, Dist. 3 Andrew Werner, Dist. 3