Candidates for Fort Worth School Board District 5 on May 6 ballot
Carin “CJ” Evans
Website: CJEvansforFWISD.com
Email: cj.evans@fwisd.org
Age: 45
Occupation: Attorney
Education: BA, Baylor University 1996; JD, Regent University 2001
Have you run for elected office before?
I was elected as FWISD District 5 Trustee in 2019.
Please list highlights of your civic involvement.
It has been my habit & custom to give to my community since I was a teenager. In high school I volunteered to read to nursing home residents. Right after law school I served as a volunteer math tutor to at risk youth. As a young mother I was on the executive board of my children’s PTA. Since 2018 I have provided volunteer legal services to The Women’s Center of Tarrant County. For the last 4 years I served my community as School Board Trustee, sitting on various committees within the district.
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
Linebarger, Cantey Hanger, Benjamin Castillo
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)?
My service to FWISD began over 10 years ago when I volunteered with the PTA board at my child’s school. My opponents don’t have the depth of knowledge or breadth and length of experience that I do in FWISD. As a 20+ yr licensed attorney I approach all issues with critical analysis & an objective understanding of the whole. I am also bilingual. When I ran 4 years ago I promised to focus on student achievement, & since being elected FWISD has gone from a D+ rated district to a B- rated district. We still have a long way to go but I know FWISD can be an A+ district. Just as I said when I was elected in 2019, I commit to continue to focus on improving elementary reading & middle school math scores. The stated priorities on the website of one of my opponents are almost identical to mine, yet he has not shown how he would approach those issues differently or achieve better results than me. Upon information and belief, neither of my opponents have ever voted in a school board race.
What are the biggest issues in this race?
Fort Worth is a 1st rate city & our residents deserve a 1st rate school district. But FWISD will never be a 1st rate school district if our students aren’t reading on grade level. So the biggest issue is Student Achievement & continuing to get FWISD’s elementary reading and middle school math scores up. In no particular order, the other 2 issues are Fiscal Responsibility & School Safety. I am happy to report that the district is transitioning to a zero based budget, which will provide more financial transparency and ensure that we minimize deficit spending. Under the umbrella of Fiscal Responsibility is the 2021 bond. Although I voted against the call for the bond in Summer 2021 because I thought it was too high, the voters did pass it in Nov 2021, so an issue is making sure the bond projects are completed timely. The physical safety & mental well being of our students & staff are also paramount & I am committed to ongoing internal & external operational & safety audits.
Kevin Lynch
Website: LynchForSchools.com
Email: info@lynchforschools.com
Age: 42
Occupation: Medical Device Industry - Sales, Sales Management, Corporate Accounts
Education: Bachelor of Arts from University of Georgia, MBA from University of Alabama Birmingham
Have you run for elected office before?
No
Please list highlights of your civic involvement.
Board Member of Tanglewood and McLean PTAs
Paschal Pyramid Liaison
Member of FWISD Council of PTAs
Member of Tanglewood and McLean Site-Based Decision-Making Committees
Academy 4 Mentor at Westcliff Elementary School
Appointed to Citizens’ Oversight Committee for $1.2 billion bond passed in 2021
Member of McLean Athletic Booster Club
Founder of Paschal Panther Prep Football League in Fall 2022 for 600 youth
Founder of F3 Fort Worth - Part of F3 mentorship program at Alice Contreras Elementary
Who are your top three campaign contributors?
My campaign finance reports are open to the public on the school board’s website. [Editor’s note: The Star-Telegram inserted the donor names based on his financial filing.]
(Reid Goetz, Matt Donnell, Richard Torlincasi, Alex Cammack)
What is the most important distinction between you and your opponent(s)?
I have dedicated my life to making our community a better place. At work, I help bring lifesaving medical services to local hospitals. As a youth football coach, I built a community in Fort Worth, and as a member of the Citizens’ Oversight Committee of FWISD’s most recent bond, I work to protect our tax dollars. On the school board I will continue to fight for our community and ensure our children have all of the tools they need to succeed.
What are the biggest issues in this race?
Academic Excellence - FWISD must always prioritize strong academics, as a district we must strengthen discipline in our schools and keep political agendas out of the classroom so our teachers can focus on the important job of preparing our students for success in college and the workforce.
Fiscal Responsibility - As a school board we must ensure that each tax dollar is being used as efficiently as possible. I will use my business experience to promote fiscal responsibility and reduce wasteful spending so we can focus funds on improving the classroom experience. Strengthen
Communities - As a parent in FWISD I have seen first hand how our schools serve as the cornerstone of many strong neighborhoods and communities. I will protect the voices of parents and teachers and their critical roles in the success of our students.
Josh Yoder
Yoder did not respond to the Star-Telegram’s candidate survey.
