FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – For 12 months, parents of school children in the Forsyth County School System have clamored for a change in an increasingly woke Board of Education. During Wednesday’s Republican Party debate with School Board incumbent Wes McCall, Dennis Scheidt promised to be a strong advocate for that change.

Scheidt, said, “I’ve been watching and have been appalled at what has been happening in our school system. Schools are doing things parents should be doing.” He called for greater transparency, increased parental participation in decision making, zero-based budgeting and an end to social justice programs.

“As I look at DEI, SEL and CRT, those are emotional learning things that parents should be responsible for,” he said. “Sex education. Why should the schools be responsible for this? That should be a parent’s God-given right.”

Scheidt also said he would like to see change in the school system’s policy that requires parents to opt out of certain programs they object to. “What I propose is any time a survey is given to a child, or information is gleaned, that questionairre be sent to parents first so they can make that decision.”

On zero-based budgeting, Scheidt a former hospital CFO and CEO, who has an MBA in Finance said, “I believe in zero-based budgeting… don’t start with what you had last year and add to it. Start at zero and look at every dollar you want in your budget and show a reason for it.”

Month after month since April 2021 parents have attended school board meetings to complain about what their children are being taught and the Board’s seeming indifference to their concerns.

“This crisis in the school system is the fact that people don’t feel like their concerns are listened to, or heard,” said first-term incumbent McCall.

“I can say that transparency and getting back with people and answering their questions is going to be the biggest factor in restoring trust back into the school system among parents,” McCall said. But, at the same time, he said the Board had recently discussed placing restrictions on the public speaking portion of meetings, although it did not take action.

On parental involvement, he spoke about legislation passed in the General Assembly that would promote parental involvement in school systems. He also recommended parents build relationships with their students’ teachers and principals but did not present new ideas on what the school board will do to include parents in the decision-making process.

An outspoken opponent of CRT, DEI and SEL, Scheidt said he has been asked what he could do as one member of five on the Board of Education to remove those ideologies from the school system. “All you can do is what is right then try to convince other people what you believe'” he answered. “It takes one person to stand up and say, ‘I disagree.’ I’ll be that person.”

McCall did not answer the question directly but said that he met with state legislators, parent groups and fellow Board members to gain a better understanding of the issue.

In closing, McCall said, we need leadership on the Board of Education. “I have the leadership, the vision, the experience to move our schools forward.” He also  said he would continue to be an involved parent regardless of the outcome of the election.

Scheidt said, “My number one issue is to represent you as a parent and to get you the answers you deserve.” He said if he is elected, would meet with parents on a quarterly basis to discuss issues and to keep them informed.