Teachers' PAC not backing School Board incumbent

Nothing personal, Bob Chilmonik.

The political action committee representing Lee County School District teachers and support workers Thursday released a name of candidates it will back in the September primaries and the School Board incumbent isn’t on it.

Instead, the Island Coast Political Action Committee is backing retiree Mary L. Fischer to take the seat in Cape Coral’s District 1. Challenger Simone Bynoe also is running in that race.

School board incumbents Steven Teuber and Elinor Scricca both got the PAC’s nod, as did Pete Berkert for state representative in District 73.

Catherine Osborne, chairwoman of the Island Coast PAC, said the choices were made based on candidate’s answers to a questionnaire and interviews with a 15-person committee. The decision in District 1 had more to do with finding a candidate the group liked than spurning one it didn’t, according to those who made the cuts.

“We liked Mary Fischer’s background and what she had to say,” Osborne said. “She had a good handle on where we’ve been and where we’re going. It wasn’t necessarily anything negative about anyone else. We just really liked what she brought to the table.”

In District 5, the PAC picked Scricca over Sheridan Chester, vice president of the district’s substitute teacher union. It chose Teuber over newcomer Walter Booth in District 4.

Fischer, who has been a special education teacher and a guidance counselor, among other roles in local schools, said she was delighted to get the endorsement.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “It gives me validation and the desire to move ahead with the campaign.”

Chilmonik expressed the same drive Thursday, with or without the endorsement.

The incumbent said he wasn’t surprised at the omission of his name from the list.

“It certainly wasn’t a surprise to me because I wasn’t endorsed (by the PAC) the last time,” he said.

Chilmonik won in 2002 without the nod of approval from the Island Coast Political Action Committee, which represents the Teachers Association of Lee County and the Support Personnel of Lee County.

Scricca did the same, though it’s a different story for her this time around.

Scricca said in her inaugural run the PAC saw her as “an unknown quantity.” Its endorsement now means a great deal, she said, adding that she takes it as evidence teachers and school district workers agree with her voting pattern for the past three and half years and her work with the district.

The endorsement is only the first of many to come in the months before the election, but it is one of special import to School Board candidates.

“It was clearly apparent, they’re looking for what’s best for the kids and they’re looking for what’s best for the schools,” said Teuber , who made the PAC’s list for the second time, having also gotten the nod as a relative unknown in 2002.

It is the stamp of approval from teachers and district workers, he said. The voters will make their opinion known on election day, he added.