Indian River County School Board election: incumbent Jones faces newcomer MacCallum

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Both candidates for the District 3 School Board seat say they are running for the children, yet their campaigns are distinctly different.

Incumbent Peggy Jones is a well-known former school district principal, coach and teacher who spent years working in the district before retiring. She faces opposition for her second term from political newcomer businessman Rob MacCallum, the father of two young children who says he is concerned about test scores and improving education.

The race is lopsided when it comes to finances. Jones has raised $45,262, almost twice MacCallum's $23,150.

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This year's School Board election has been fraught with the insertion of politics. Although a nonpartisan race, MacCallum has been endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the parents-rights advocacy group Moms for Liberty of Indian River County, which has spearheaded many of the book challenges the district has faced in recent years.

DeSantis targeted Jones and former board member Brian Barefoot, along with other school board members across the state, whom he said should be defeated in reelection bids because they failed to protect students from "woke" ideologies.

More: DeSantis aiming to unseat Indian River, St. Lucie school board members for 'woke' ideologies

Jones wants to continue fighting for public schools

Jones said she wants to continue her work promoting the public school system, and to try to win back families who have left the school system to take advantage of state vouchers.

"We believe we're still the best game in town," Jones said. "We are accountable for every penny we spend."

She wants to keep open communication with parents, she said.

She's running on her experience as an educator here She began teaching in the district in 1980 and has been principal of Gifford Middle Six, Gifford Middle School and Sebastian River High School, as well as executive director of secondary for the district. She was the assistant executive director of athletics and the associate executive director of administrative services for the Florida High School Athletic Association.

"I am running for office because I believe in this community and school district," she said in her TCPalm candidate questionnaire. "When it states in policy that the responsibility of the education for our public school students lies with the School Board, I take that very seriously. My question each day is — how can we continue to do better? And are we supporting the people in our schools who need the help?

"This is a team effort with our parents and community members," Jones wrote. "Our public schools have a wonderful diversity, and I want all children to be successful. I believe my success in all the positions I have held is an asset to me as a School Board member. I have walked the walk."

She said she has tried to stay out of the politics that has entered the race, and never considered herself a politician. She changed her party affiliation right after she was elected in 2020 from Republican to no party affiliation so she wouldn't be seen as aligned with any political group, she said.

"I am who I am," she said. "I have no political agendas. (But) you'll never question my work ethic."

School Board elections should remain nonpartisan, she said.

"I don't like playing games. It's really sad we've come to this," she said. "I've given my life to this district. I don't want it to change to this political stuff."

School Board challenger touts business experience

MacCallum decided to enter the race after meeting state Sen. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, at an event. She encouraged him and his wife, Colleen, to get involved with the School Board, he said.

"It was a good time to start looking at it," he said. What he saw concerned him, he said. There were reports of disciplinary issues in the schools and fights breaking out. He was concerned about the district's 60% literacy rate but 95% graduation rate. Math and reading scores, especially at the third-grade level, need to improve, he said.

"If they are not reading by the third grade, that's an issue," he said.

With a kindergartener and first-grader, MacCallum said, he wanted to get involved because of his vested interest. He thought that, with his business background, he could make a difference.

"It's our biggest business. It's our biggest budget," he said.

"We need strong leaders that know how to handle business decisions," he said in his TCPalm questionnaire. "Not just on a bottom-line dollar level but also on a personnel and future vision level."

If elected, MacCallum said, he wants to get more parents involved.

Though two separate seats, candidates in the District 3 and District 5 races seem to have joined forces into two-member alliances.

Jones and David Dyer have paired together in an attempt to regain the majority that was lost when Barefoot mistakenly resigned from the District 5 seat when he moved. When newcomer Kevin McDonald was appointed to replace Barefoot, the board majority shifted to one that agreed with many ideas espoused by the Moms for Liberty chapter, such as removing challenged books from the school libraries.

More: Will Indian River County School Board move ahead in harmony? Only time will tell

MacCallum insists he and McDonald are running independent campaigns, despite being seen together at various events. The two share many of the same endorsements, he said.

"Mr. McDonald and I have never joined forces," he said. "They (his opponents) are pushing that narrative."

But MacCallum defends Moms for Liberty, which he describes as "a group of concerned citizens that have been villainized." Citizens should have a voice and be heard, he said. "We need to stop villainizing citizens who step up."

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 3

Peggy Jones, incumbent

Age: 71

Profession: Public school education

Time in office: Four years, elected in 2020

Rob MacCallum

Age: 39

Profession: Business owner, owns Exit Right Realty in Vero Beach and an insurance company in Massachusetts

Time in office: First run for public office

School Board

Term: Four years

Salary: $42,971

Who can vote: All Indian River County voters

Election: Aug. 20

Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Educator Jones faces business owner McCallum in IRC School Board race