School Board races draw two major names

Wife of former vice mayor and former councilman file for school board

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

Sharon Gentry, wife of former Vice Mayor and mayoral candidate Howard Gentry, has filed to challenge longtime school board member George H. Thompson III. Former Metro councilman John Summers has filed to run as well.

Gentry, according to documents supplied by the Davidson County Election Commission, filed paperwork today and is one of three challengers for the spot currently held by Thompson. Her candidacy should send Thompson supporters scrambling to line up supporters given the strong showing her husband Howard had in the Mayor's race last year and the involvement the entire Gentry family has had in the community over the past several decades.

The other major qualifier entering the picture today was Summers. Term-limited out of his council seat, he has qualified to run for the seat being being vacated by current school board chair Marsha Warden.

The candidacy of Summers should serve as a lightning rod in that district as well, given the love-hate relationship members of his former council district have with him over zoning issues.

Much focus has been placed on the school board as of late with the departure of controversial schools director Pedro Garcia, the search for his replacement, schools failing to meet government quality standards and budget issues.

For a full list of all candidates, click here.