Safety, teacher advocacy priorities for Broward School Board District 4 candidates

PARKLAND, Fla. — Two candidates are vying for the Broward County School Board District 4 seat.

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The seat is currently held by Lori Alhadeff, who is not seeking reelection.

Running in the election are Sharry Adler Kimmel, who received Aldaheff’s endorsement, and Nicole Morst, who is endorsed by School Board Member Debbi Hixon.

District 4 includes Coral Springs, Margate, North Lauderdale, Parkland and Tamarac.

“I am a champion of teachers,” said Kimmel. “I teach teachers how to be teachers, and I am a subject matter expert with a doctorate degree in education on all things K-12. I have budget experience, I have teaching experience, classroom experience, and I also have a lot of leadership experience.”

Said Morst: “I have been advocating for teachers and families in this district for the last nine years. I served as the North Area Advisory Chair this year, which represents nearly 70 schools in the north region of Broward County. I worked with the principals, the teachers, the parents to make sure that their concerns were heard and their needs are met.”

Both candidates discussed their approaches to tackling the district’s declining student enrollment and severe budget challenges.

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“If we expect families to keep sending their kids to Broward schools, we have to invest in their facilities,” said Morst. “We have schools that have mold and broken ACs. And these conditions are not acceptable for our parents.”

Added Kimmel: “The first priority is to get the fiscal house in order. We have to monetize our assets. We have assets and we have to monetize those as if it was an emergency because it is.”

Both candidates also addressed school safety and improvements.

“So part of my platform, once we monetize our assets, is to have bulletproof glass in every one of those panels at every single school,” said Kimmel. “So if worst thing happens, worst case scenario and an active shooter makes their way somehow through all the other safety nets onto the campus, they can never do that again. They can never shoot through that glass.”

Said Morst: “I am the only one with a child that is currently enrolled and so I am in it every day. I know the challenges, I know what’s working and what needs to be fixed. And I understand the communities because I have been serving all over Broward. So I understand outside of just what’s in my school in my community, what’s happening at large.”

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