By Patrick Hurston
Four candidates for the Hardy County Board of Education offered voters a contrast in experience, priorities, and approach during a candidate forum Thurs., Apr. 23, at East Hardy High School.
The event, sponsored by the Hardy County Chamber of Commerce and moderated by Executive Director Justin Evans, himself a candidate for County Commission, featured Dixie Bean, John Rosato, Melvin Shook, and Dallas Wilkins. All 10 candidates seeking the three open seats in the May 12 primary were invited to participate.
Across a series of audience-submitted questions, candidates largely agreed on the challenges facing the school system, particularly funding constraints, declining enrollment, and student performance; but they differed slightly in solutions and their qualifications for the role.
Bean and Shook emphasized experience and institutional knowledge, while Rosato and Wilkins positioned themselves as new voices offering different perspectives.
Bean, a longtime board member and current president, pointed to decades of involvement in Hardy County Schools, including prior terms on the board and leadership roles in community organizations. She also noted her own children received “an excellent education through Hardy County schools.” She framed her candidacy around continuity and a focus on student outcomes, particularly early reading and math improvement efforts already underway.
“I continue to serve… because I care about your children, and I want to see them get a good education,” Bean said.
Shook similarly leaned on his background within the school system, including 25 years as a bus operator, time as transportation supervisor, and involvement in securing more than $7 million in recent School Building Authority funding. He also pointed to his experience as president of the School Service Personnel Association for many years.
He stressed the importance of understanding day-to-day operations and maintaining stability.
“I understand what it takes to run the school system in the day-to-day operations,” Shook said.
By contrast, Rosato highlighted his professional background as an attorney and lobbyist, arguing that his experience working at the intersection of policy and government could help the county advocate more effectively at the state level. He emphasized communication with lawmakers in Charleston and the need for strategic pressure to address what multiple candidates described as a long-outdated school funding formula.
“As an attorney and lobbyist, I work at the intersection of law, policy and operations, and I believe that experience translates directly to this role,” Rosato said.
Wilkins, a small business owner and father of four, framed his candidacy around financial oversight and a fresh look at spending priorities. While acknowledging the board’s overall performance, he raised concerns about student proficiency rates and questioned whether current resources are being directed effectively.
“I think just a very objective eye towards the finances… is kind of the most important single issue that’s facing the school board right now,” Wilkins said.
The proposed school levy, and the broader issue of school funding, quickly emerged as a central dividing line.
Bean, Rosato, and Shook all expressed support for the levy, describing it as necessary to maintain existing programs and staffing levels amid rising costs and stagnant state funding.
“We need it. We need the extra funding for our children,” Bean said.
Rosato in particular spent time explaining the structure of the state’s school aid formula, arguing that without a local excess levy, counties are effectively capped in how much they can spend, regardless of need or rising expenses. Multiple candidates noted the formula has not been significantly updated since the early 1990s.
“Ask yourselves, what’s changed since 1993? A heck of a lot,” Rosato said. “It costs a lot more to run a school than it did in 1993. That’s what this levy is about,” he said.
Shook and Bean echoed concerns about funding shortfalls, with both pointing to unsuccessful efforts during the most recent legislative session to secure additional resources.
“This isn’t about adding fluff, this is about maintaining what we have now,” Shook said.
Wilkins was the lone candidate to oppose the levy. He cited the projected cost over five years and the impact on taxpayers, particularly farmers, homeowners, and local businesses.
Despite differing views on funding, candidates largely agreed that improving student outcomes, particularly in reading and math remains a core priority.
Wilkins pointed to proficiency rates that he described as concerning, especially in math at the high school level, and said those numbers prompted him to run.
“I find these numbers a little bit concerning myself,” he said.
Bean highlighted recent gains in benchmark testing tied to new reading and math initiatives, including expanded use of interventionists in early grades. She framed those efforts as evidence that targeted investments can produce results.
“The students are my most important goal,” Bean said.
Shook and Rosato both emphasized challenges that extend beyond the classroom, including student needs brought from home and the increasing complexity of serving diverse student populations.
Candidates noted that Hardy County has a significant percentage of students requiring special education services, as well as a growing population of English language learners. Teacher recruitment and retention also emerged as a concern, with Shook noting the difficulty of competing with higher salaries in surrounding areas.
When asked about civic engagement, candidates again split along familiar lines.
Bean outlined decades of service, including work with local education foundations and community boards. Shook pointed to his continued involvement with career and technical education programs and regional initiatives.
Rosato highlighted his advocacy with the Planning Commission on local land-use issues and his role in rebuilding the county’s Democratic Party infrastructure, arguing that competitive elections strengthen local governance.
“A functioning democracy needs choices on a ballot,” Rosato said.
Wilkins, who has not previously held elected office, pointed to his involvement in local organizations and framed his candidacy as an extension of his role as a parent and business owner.
“I have never run or been elected to any political office. This is the first time I’ve ever run for anything,” he said.
All four emphasized a commitment to students and acknowledged the financial and structural challenges facing the school system. But voters were left to weigh contrasting approaches: experience versus new perspective, support for additional local funding versus scrutiny of existing spending, and differing views on how best to advocate for change at the state level.
