Ding, ding. That wasn’t a school bell, but the start of round three in an important job interview for Richmond School Board candidates during Monday night’s forum at Huguenot High School.

The candidates were divided into two groups due to their large numbers. The first group included candidates from the odd-numbered districts: Matthew Percival, an unopposed candidate from the 1st District and U.S. Department of State security engineer; Ali Faruk, a senior policy analyst; consultant Charlene Riley; and community advocate Kevin Starlings from the 3rd District; incumbent Stephanie Rizzi and former RPS teacher Mamie Taylor from the 5th District; and Shovonda Dixon Fernandez, the incumbent from the 9th District, who is also running unopposed. Incumbent Cheryl Burke, 7th District, who also is running unopposed, was not present at the forum.

The second group consisted of candidates from the even-numbered districts: former educator Katie Ricard and incumbent Mariah White from the 2nd District; Angela Fontaine, incumbent Garrett Sawyer, and Collegiate School social studies teacher Wesley Hedgepeth from the 4th District; incumbent Shonda Harris-Muhammed from the 6th District, who is running unopposed; and Emmett Jay Jafari and P.H. Crus Sherman from the 8th District.

The forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters and moderated by The Richmonder Founding Editor Michael Phillips. Each round had the same set of questions and candidates had a minute to respond.

The majority of the candidates from both groups shared common ground on a need for more funding, increasing teacher retention and equitable resource distribution.

On the topic of working together for adequate governance, all candidates were open to collaborative-ness and willing to respect each other’s differentiating views for the betterment of RPS students.

“We don’t always have to agree. Disagreements are good to have,” said 3rd District candidate Kevin Starlings. “It’s important that we also respect each other at the same time and understand that we all have the mindset of doing what’s best for our kids.”

5th District incumbent Stephanie Rizzi agreed with Starlings.

“I agree with Kevin, more times to collaborate, more times to work together, more times to have training. I’d love that together,” she said.

In addition to those needs, all candidates also were in agreement with banning cellphones while in school, suggesting that the School Board should have creative approaches to a cellphone-free environment.

“I think that each school should have autonomy over what that looks like. I also think that students should be involved in what that looks like,” said 4th District candidate Angela Fontaine. “We have to focus on how we can have creative ways to still meet the goals that we want to meet academically.”

While candidate Matthew Percival is for banning cellphones in schools, he also believed Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s executive order on implementing the use of a cellphone-free education environment – which will be in effect next year – is an “overreach” of his executive privilege.

“I don’t appreciate the governor getting involved in these schools,” said Percival on Youngkin’s executive order. “We are tasked by the Virginia Constitution to oversee our schools and [Executive Order 33] was an overreach.”

The executive order gives local school boards the power to decide how to implement the policy within its schools, but some School Board candidates also attest that the nuances of Youngkin’s policy are broad.

“It’s nuanced, that it needs to be a building decision. As an educator, I’ve read a whole lot about this, and witnessed it firsthand,” said 4th District candidate Wesley Hedgepeth. “There is a lot of data that supports taking cellphones out of the classroom, but I don’t think that a blanket ban is what works.”

Phillips then asked the candidates about their rating of RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras. The first group of candidates gave a neutral opinion on the superintendent, but 6th District incumbent Shonda Harris-Muhammed, suggested to her incumbent School Board colleagues not to answer the question, due to the school division’s policies.

“We cannot talk about anyone’s performance in public, so I’m just encouraging my School Board colleagues not to respond to that question,” Harris-Muhammad said. “I like my paycheck.”

2nd District incumbent Mariah White agreed.

“When you come out of board [closed meeting], you do not come out and talk about your employee,” she said. “The superintendent works for the board.”

This forum marks the third forum of the election season, which may be the last job interview the School Board candidates will have.