Early results from the general election have incumbent Chris Carlson and challenger Eric Laliberte winning their respective races for the Lake Washington School District Board positions.
Carlson defeated challenger Rob Tepper for Position No. 2, garnering 14,789 votes, 67.89 percent overall, to Tepper’s 6,938 votes or 31.85 percent of the overall vote. Carlson has served two terms already on the board.
Laliberte defeated five-term incumbent Jackie Pendergrass for Position No. 1, with 13,194 votes and 58.27 percent, while Pendergrass received 9,394 votes and 41.49 percent.
Laliberte, who serves on the Kirkland Planning Commission, said the most important thing for them moving forward is to now focus on addressing the school’s increasing problem finding space for new students, as well as putting together a bond proposal that will finally be approved by voters,
“We’re at the point where something has to happen or else we’re going to be in real trouble,” he said.
In addition to the bond proposal, Carlson said that he wants to continue working on providing more opportunities for students to determine how they receive their education
“It’s not that every school has to be labeled a choice school, but expanding choices for middle schools and high schools across the district,” he said. “With choices schools you’re not choosing rigor…what you’re choosing is the lens through which your child chooses their education. I think we’ve got a good job of meeting the STEM lens, I’d like to see us in the next term bring in some fine art.”
Tepper told the Reporter that he is “completely content” with the outcome, saying that he felt important issues were raised that will improve the board’s performance.
“It’s a completely thankless job that I would have been terrific at, but I imagine I did a good job at opening the eyes of the present school board,” he said. “I really feel like they thought they were doing a wonderful job, and the truth of the matter is that they were far from wonderful. I think now over the next year or two they’re going to attack their job with a lot more vigor and we’ll all be better off for it.”
Phone calls to Pendergrass seeking comment were not returned by the Reporter’s deadline.
