Cabarrus County voters rejected a long-time incumbent in favor of two newcomers in Tuesday’s race for three at-large school board seats.
Eleven people competed in the nonpartisan race. Board Chair Holly Grimsley did not seek reelection, trying for a county commissioner seat instead. Carolyn Carpenter, who has been on the board for 15 years, came in ninth.
Vice Chair Laura Blackwell, a Republican, placed first with 15.48% of the vote. She has been a high-profile and sometimes controversial board member, most recently getting national attention for reading a description of oral sex aloud at a school board meeting to illustrate the type of explicit content that is found in some high school libraries. In 2020, her colleagues censured her for making offensive “hot mic” comments about another board member and the process of reopening schools during the pandemic.
Sam Treadaway, a retired Cabarrus County educator making his first run for office, came in second with 13.4%. He’s the father of two Cabarrus County teachers, according to his campaign website. He's a Democrat who told WFAE he wants to bring a voice of school experience to the board and bridge gaps between parents and educators.
Pam Escobar took the third seat with 12.98%. She’s a Cabarrus County Schools parent and a former TV reporter who works as public information officer for Mecklenburg County. She’s a Democrat who told the Independent Tribune she began to question the school board during the pandemic and concluded they were acting on politics, rather than what’s best for students and educators.
