Nancy Humbles, Jennifer Borcherding reelected to Cedar Rapids School Board

CEDAR RAPIDS — Incumbents Nancy Humbles and Jennifer Borcherding won back their Cedar Rapids school board seats Tuesday, and Marcy Roundtree will take her place at the board table for the first time after a contentious race in which candidates debated mask mandates, curriculum and funding for the district’s facilities master plan.

Humbles won the largest number of votes for Cedar Rapids school board with 10,716. This compared to the 5,478 votes Cindy Garlock captured as the top vote-getter in the 2019 school board election.

Humbles, 70, District 2, wants to continue focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion, the district’s facility master plan, and closing the achievement gap in her fourth term in office, two of which she served as school board president.

She has been an advocate for local control and believes school districts should be allowed to enact a mask mandate to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Earlier this year, she supported the Cedar Rapids district’s decision to reinstate a mask mandate for students, staff and visitors in schools.

Humbles could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Borcherding, 48, District 3, said she is looking forward to leading “objectively, without the influence of religion or personal opinion” in her second term on the board and continuing to work collaboratively with the other board members, staff, students and community members.

Borcherding is in support of the district’s reinstated mask mandate something the district can do for “100 percent of our students,” as many students cannot make the choice to be vaccinated against COVID-19, she said.

Borcherding also is concerned about challenges the district is facing hiring and retaining employees, particularly paraeducators.

This is a national problem that needs new, creative solutions, Borcherding said.

Roundtree, 46, community engagement advocate at Washington High School, wants to “bring a voice from the front lines” to the school board, particularly when it comes to mask mandates, school resource officers and staff shortages.

“I seriously respect everyone’s right to make a decision as to what is best for them and their families,” Roundtree said.

“My personal opinion is that masks work. I feel better being able to use masks than to just leave children open and vulnerable.”

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