photo by: Contributed

Matt Lancaster

A third candidate, a University of Kansas program director for the School of Business, has filed for the Lawrence school board election.

Matt Lancaster told the Journal-World that in the last few years, it has become a pretty hostile environment to educators and to schools, and he wants to be an educator-friendly voice to the conversations around school policy.

“I feel like every time something comes out that’s negative about schools, it’s kind of a lightning rod for criticism and it’s just such a more complicated issue,” Lancaster said. “Teachers don’t deserve to be attacked. Administrators don’t deserve to be attacked. School support staff, that are underpaid, don’t deserve to be attacked.”

“I think educators are some of the most capable people that I know, but I also think they need somebody that’s in their corner that has the authority to … be kind of a bulwark for them,” Lancaster said.

Lancaster said that after school closures and other things happening in the Lawrence school district, finances have been a hot topic in the community. He added that it would be good to provide a sense of stability and reassurance in the face of financial challenges.

In addition, Lancaster said at recent school board meetings, as well as other public meetings, there have been a select few who have dominated in their criticism. He said he has experience in having difficult conversations with students and families who have gone through all types of challenges.

“I just want to go there and be a force for good,” Lancaster said.

Lancaster graduated from KU with a bachelor’s in secondary education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction. He also received a master’s degree from Kansas State University in educational leadership. Lancaster has previously taught middle and high school English at Auburn-Washburn Public Schools and later became an assistant principal at Ottawa High School, overseeing student discipline, attendance, and staff development. Lancaster now serves as the program director at the School of Business at KU, where he supports students post-graduation.

There will be three seats up for election, as the Journal-World reported. School board president Kelly Jones was elected in 2021 and will finish her current four-year term this year. In addition, the terms of Bob Byers, who was appointed in 2023 to fill a vacancy after Kay Emerson’s resignation, and board member Shannon Kimball, who was elected for a two-year term, will end this year.

Byers is so far the only incumbent that has announced candidacy and the second to announce candidacy for the school board election. ChrisTopher Niles Enneking was the first to file in the race.

School board members GR Gordon-Ross, Anne Costello, Carole Cadue-Blackwood and Yolanda Franklin were each elected to four-year terms in 2023.

The deadline for submitting election filings is June 2. If 10 candidates file for the school board election, a primary will be held on August 5, followed by the general election on November 4.