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School board races heat up for many Kansas City-area districts

North Kansas City schools
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Most Kansas City-area school districts and Metropolitan Community College will conduct board member elections Tuesday as part of annual statewide April special elections.

Park Hill, which has one of the more contentious school board races, is among them.

School board races in Missouri are non-partisan but such elections have become increasingly political across the country in recent years amid COVID-19 safety procedures and debates about school curriculum.

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There are eight candidates vying for two vacancies in Park Hill, where neither of the incumbents are seeking re-election.

Two new members will be elected from a field that includes Shereka Barnes, Kelli Johnson, Jason Keck, Christopher LaCour, Jeff Runyan, Corey Terrell, Daryl Terwilleger and Tammy Thompson.

But Park Hill is hardly the only school board race in the Kansas City-area Tuesday. Here are some others of note:

Additionally in Clay County, Clinton County R-III, East Buchanan C-1, Excelsior Springs, Kearney R-I, Lawson R-XIV, Platte County R-III and Smithville R-II voters will see contested school board races on the ballot.

Cass County voters in the Harrisonville R-IX, Holden R-III, Midway R-I, Pleasant Hill R-III, Raymore-Peculiar R-II, Sherwood R-VIII school districts will see contested school board races as well.