Primary elections are underway in Pender County. One of the seats up for election is for District 5 of the Pender County Board of Education. Phil Cordeiro, who was appointed to the board in 2023, is hoping to win it.
"There's much more than I would like to do to set our school system up for success," he told WHQR.
Cordeiro, a former town manager and accountant, told WHQR that he is focused on cutting extraneous spending. This past year, he spearheaded a vote to fire the school system's power supplier. He said it was because his research into the company's practices showed that they weren't saving the district enough money.
"My colleagues in the board unanimously voted to approve the termination of this contract, which will save the school system $750,000 a year," he said.
Besides that, he's also concerned about recruiting and retaining staff. He acknowledged that teacher pay played an important role in the process. But he also believes that a major hindrance towards teacher retention is student discipline.
"I think that for whatever reason, teachers, administrators, bus drivers, et cetera, I think, collectively have created an environment where students are not held accountable for their actions," he said. "And I think if we get serious about discipline, that will help retain and recruit teachers significantly."
He also pointed out that parents played an "important role" in the district. With the culture wars over book bans and legislation targeting LGBTQ+ students, Cordeiro insists that parents' concerns should stay at the forefront.
"For me to ignore that issue," he said, "I think, would be highly irresponsible. My philosophy is the parents will set the agenda."
Cordeiro told WHQR that he has "no higher political ambitions" beyond this board — that he's in it solely for children like his son, who's a pre-K student about to enter Pender County Schools.
"The only reason why I'm doing this is because I have decided he's going to be in the school system for the next decade or more," he said. "And I want the school system to be as best as it can be."
Cordeiro's opponent in the race for the Republican nomination is hardware store owner Tommy Reeves. Reeves declined to do an interview with WHQR, saying he'd rather spend time at the polls.
There are no Democratic candidates running for District 5 in the school board race. Early voting continues until March 2. Election Day is March 5. You will need photo ID. Unaffiliated voters can choose which party ballot to vote.
Click here for voter information and WHQR’s coverage of the candidates.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Cordeiro's son was in Pender County Schools Pre-K. He is currently enrolled in a private facility.
