Delvin T. Howard is one of three school board candidates vying to unseat the incumbent of District 9, Venus Cain. The two are running against Thomas Gardiner and Brad Owens.
Howard is a lifelong Augusta resident, graduate of Richmond County public schools, local business owner, and father of two sons attending county schools. His experience includes serving in school council and PTO leadership roles at C.T. Walker Magnet School and Richmond County Technical Magnet School. He is also the co-founder of Blessing Our Community, an outreach initiative supporting Augusta residents. He is part of the Howard family that has held Augusta’s Georgia state representative seat since 1990, when Henry Lee Howard served, followed by Wayne and Karlton Howard, who is currently on the ballot.
Capital B and Local Matters of Georgia are teaming up to cover the District 9 race, one of the most important ones in Richmond County, because it is an at-large district, meaning voters across Richmond County can choose the representative for this seat. Howard sat for an interview with Local Matters Podcast of Georgia, a partner of Capital B Augusta’s.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the Local Matters interview in its entirety on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Communication
Local Matters of Georgia: As you think about why you chose to run for the Richmond County Board of Education, why did you choose to get out here, and what do you think is the biggest issue facing our school system?
Delvin Howard: One of the issues is communication. I was a hands-on parent volunteer for four years at two different schools and I saw the same thing at two different schools. Lack of support from parents. Lack of support from the board. When I would ask questions about things, I couldn’t get a fair answer even from the administration or teachers. Children need continuous assistance. Continuous assistance is very needed. I really think after school tutoring is a big thing. Continuous tutoring throughout the summer breaks. Continuing education all year round.
Accountability
If you are elected, what is one measurable change that you would commit to achieving during your first year on the board, and how should voters hold you accountable for meeting that goal?
One thing I think of is quarterly meetings, but when we put these functions together, parents have to come out. Teachers have to come out. Everybody has to come out to voice their opinions and understand what we’re doing. It’s going to take us to continuously gather, conversate to get things going. One person coming is not enough. And hold me accountable as far as you need to because I want to see something happen. I want to see a different plan. I want to see results in everything that I do.
School safety
What is your approach to balancing school safety, student discipline, and creating a supportive learning environment? Are there specific policies and programs that you would like to see implemented to improve discipline and safety?
You got to get the parents involved. No child really cuts up when their mom and dad are around. It’s usually when their mom and dad are in the building.
