All photos by Rebecca Gaunt

By Rebecca Gaunt

For the first time since 2009, Cobb County Board of Education Post 5 will be represented by a new face: Republican John Cristadoro, who was sworn in Tuesday to represent the Pope, and Walton, and Wheeler High School clusters.

Cristadoro, a business owner and youth coach, will also serve as vice chair for his first year on the board.  

Longtime Post 5 representative Republican David Banks, who frequently stirred controversy with his comments about race, women and religion, and once warned constituents in a mass email that the government was intentionally killing them with the COVID-19 vaccine, opted not to run for a fifth term.

Cristadoro won the seat with 33,308 votes. The Democratic candidate Laura Judge received 27,368.

Republicans Randy Scamihorn and Brad Wheeler were re-elected after tense challenges by Democrats.

Despite talk of a fresh start for the board leading into the new year, the old familiar numbers 4-3, in the form of partisan vote splits, were still present.

Democrat Leroy Tre’ Hutchins, who was re-elected in an unopposed race, was nominated by his fellow Democratic board members Becky Sayler and Nichelle Davis for the chair and vice chair positions. 

In a 4-3 vote, the chair position went to Republican David Chastain. In another 4-3 vote, the vice chair position went to Cristadoro.

Sayler told the Courier she was disappointed that Hutchins wasn’t chosen for either position as he starts his second term.

“I’ve been told before that experience was a major issue, so I’m surprised by the vote,” she said.

Hutchins called it “business as usual” and chose to leave it at that, when asked for comment.

Davis said, “Now this is his second term and never had the opportunity to be on board leadership. This would have been a great time, as we talk about a fresh start, to have new leadership and diverse representation, which the majority of the board did not approve today. It makes me question ‘fresh start.”

Sayler put forth motions during the meeting to schedule the work sessions and voting sessions on separate days and to add a work retreat to the calendar. Those motions were defeated 4-3.

Prior to approving the board calendar, Sayler also requested the February meeting be rescheduled as she had already informed the board she would be chaperoning an out-of-state field trip on the chosen date, and she did not want to miss it.

That request was also denied 4-3.

Cristadoro was not available for comment after the meeting.