In a surprising twist in the Cobb County School Board race for Post 1, the National Education Association’s (NEA) local affiliate, the Cobb County Association of Educators (CCAE), has raised eyebrows with its endorsement process. The CCAE, led by Jeff Hubbard, has thrown its support behind Vickie Benson, the Democratic candidate challenging incumbent Republican and former Cobb County educator, Randy Scamihorn. This endorsement has sparked controversy, particularly surrounding who is making these critical decisions.
Randy Scamihorn, who defeated Benson in their previous contest with a decisive 56.7% to 43.3% margin, was widely expected to coast through this election. His overwhelming fundraising success, coupled with Benson’s limited ties to Cobb County—given her employment at a small school in Chambers County, Alabama—meant the race had attracted little attention. That is, until CCAE’s recent endorsement added a new layer of intrigue.
What makes this endorsement stand out is not just who received it, but the makeup of the committee that decided on it. According to reports, the majority of the committee was composed not of classroom teachers, but of bus drivers and other non-instructional staff. This fact has caused quite a stir among conservative voters and educators alike, who expected teachers to have a more prominent voice in such decisions.
The CCAE claims to represent approximately 1,800 of Cobb’s 7,400 educators. However, members of a rival organization, Educators First, expressed concern that the NEA affiliate would support a candidate with such tenuous links to the local community. Their dismay is compounded by the fact that the majority of the endorsement committee reportedly consisted of bus drivers rather than current classroom teachers.
Scamihorn confirmed these claims, noting that the NEA affiliate’s endorsement committee appeared to have very few active teachers. “It’s perplexing,” Scamihorn said. “You would think an educators’ group would want the input of classroom professionals when deciding who to back for the school board.”
John Cristadoro, candidate for Post 5, echoed similar sentiments. Although he could not confirm the exact composition of the committee that interviewed him, Cristadoro remarked, “The focus didn’t seem to be on curriculum or educational policy—it felt more like operational concerns were at the forefront.”
In the highly competitive Post 7 race, candidate Brad Wheeler was also taken aback by the composition of the interview panel. He disclosed that only 20% of those interviewing him were active classroom teachers, to his knowledge. “For a group that claims to represent educators, it’s surprising how few actual teachers were involved in the process,” Wheeler commented. Despite this, he felt that he was able to convey the strengths of his leadership in Cobb County schools, which have flourished during his tenure.
Wheeler also expressed surprise that his opponent received the CCAE endorsement, especially since he recently accepted a significant campaign donation from an organization promoting non-certified teachers through the “Teach for America” program. This endorsement from a group that supposedly advocates for professional educators left him puzzled.
One political wag, quipped that the CCAE endorsement committee should consider renaming itself the “Cobb County Bus Drivers Association,” given the apparent influence of non-teaching staff in the endorsement process. The idea that bus drivers, rather than teachers, would hold sway over which candidates to support has rattled many within the local educational community, with some teachers in CCAE reportedly looking for other options.
Stay tuned for further updates in this series as we continue to explore the endorsements shaping this critical election.
