On Tuesday, voters chose Patrick Katzenmeyer, Jermaine Kennedy and Antoinette Miranda to fill three open seats on the Columbus City Schools' Board of Education out of a crowded field of six candidates.
Miranda led the pack with 25% of the vote followed closely by Kennedy and Katzenmeyer with over 20% of the vote each. That is according to unofficial results from the Franklin County Board of Elections.
The three candidates with the least number of votes were Janeece Keyes, Mounir Lynch and Kimberley Mason.
Katzenmeyer is a district parent and project manager at the Pizzuti Companies. Kennedy is a district parent and a chief program officer at the Boys and Girls Club of America. Miranda is a past member of the Ohio Board of Education and former chair of Ohio State University's Department of Teaching and Learning as a professor of school psychology.
Katzenmeyer, Kennedy and Miranda will be taking office at a critical time for the state’s largest school district. The district faces budget cuts and a $50 million deficit. Cuts to high school busing, more building closures and more could be on the table.
The three are joining the board in the middle of budget negotiations when they take office next year.
Miranda acknowledged the challenge ahead for all three at an election night watch party for the Franklin County Democratic Party at Strongwater Events in Franklinton.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us and I think that's what's important to know. This would not be an easy job, but I think we're passionate about Columbus City and I'm looking forward to the support of everybody else to help us get there," Miranda said.
Kennedy echoed her, saying the future of public education should matter to the whole community.
"This is not the finish line, this is actually the starting line, and so we definitely need all of you to continue with the level of engagement, the level commitment to this process, because we need to do this all together," Kennedy said.
Miranda, Katzenmeyer and Kennedy were endorsed by the Franklin County Democratic Party and featured on the party's slate card handed out to voters at the polls.
Keyes had four children graduate from the district and works with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation. Lynch is a public health worker and a graduate of Columbus Alternative High School. Mason has two children in the district and is a former higher education partnership manager with the Ohio Bankers League.
The three seats are being vacated by school board President Michael Cole and school board members Ramona Reyes and Christina Vera.
The six candidates emerged from a crowded 10-person primary in May.
The district’s state report card gave CCS a two-star rating overall and showed a high chronic absenteeism rate. The district did achieve good marks for College, Career, Workforce and Military Readiness.
