Teacher activist seeks at-large seat on Pinellas School Board

Mary Russell, a teacher who has lived in Seminole for 29 years, has filed paperwork to run for the Pinellas County School Board.

Russell, 31, is the second candidate to challenge incumbent Max Gessner for an at-large seat. The at-large School Board member can live anywhere in the county and is elected countywide.

Russell is one of the founding members of Teachers United for the Future, a grass roots group that brings together district employees and the community to advocate for students and teachers.

She said the district must improve its high school graduation rate, listen to the community and continue to maintain diverse schools, especially after switching in 2003 to a school choice program. She wants to see the district do more to nurture and retain qualified teachers through mentoring, providing adequate resources and reducing pressure from state testing.

"When people are out of touch with students, they really don't know the best way to help students," Russell said. "Right now, what it is going to take is a School Board that is close to the issues and someone who is willing to spend more time researching those issues."

Russell graduated from Seminole High School and has a bachelor's degree in education from the University of South Florida. She is married to a Pinellas County government employee and has two children who attend Bauder Elementary School.

She has been teaching for four years, first working with fourth- and fifth-graders and then transferring to the Even Start program at PTEC-St. Petersburg. Even Start is a federally funded family literacy program that helps parents earn their General Educational Development certificates and learn parenting skills.

Before becoming a teacher, Russell worked in the records department at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. She still volunteers for the office's Christmas toy project. Russell is also in the U.S. Navy reserve.

School Board members are elected to four-year terms and earn $35,391 annually. Rather than paying a fee, Russell wants to qualify for a spot on the ballot by collecting nearly 6,000 signatures. The primary election is Sept. 10, and the general election is Nov. 5.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright