Tuesday afternoon, Kenon Crumble of Clayton officially filed for a seat on the Johnston County Board of Education. Crumble said he decided to enter the school board race after seeing how Johnston County Schools mishandled a recent investigation at Clayton High School and the removal of principal Dr. Bennett Jones. Jones was later reinstated to his position.
“That was a big deal because parents and students got involved,” Mr. Crumble said. “The kids were in an uproar and they didn’t know what was going on. We can’t hurt kids. The kids are our future. We have to do more for our community. We failed our community.”
Crumble attended public schools in New York City and obtained a degree in education from Long Island University. He obtained an undergraduate degree from Monroe College in New York. He is currently licensed in North Carolina as a counselor, school principal and superintendent.
“There needs to be change. We need to have a positive impact on what we can do to help our kids succeed. The Board of Education needs to do more and focus on the family and current education system to help kids be successful,” Crumble told JoCoReport.
“I was compelled to filed for Board of Education to help families do more for their children. It’s all about the future. It’s all about kids being successful in the future,” Mr. Crumble added.
Crumble has lived in Johnston County the last year-and-a-half. He works as a school counselor for the NC Department of Public Safety in Butner. He has a daughter who attends Johnston Charter Academy in Clayton.
A total of four seats are up for election on the Johnston County School Board in 2020. So far, 7 candidates have filed for those seats. In addition to Mr. Crumble, they include Kelly O’Hanlon-Peedin, Melynda Slay, Lyn Andrews, Teresa Grant, Kay Carroll, and Ava Atkinson Gaines. The filing period remains open until 12 Noon this Friday, Dec. 20th.
