Santa Rosa County School Board District 1 has two candidates running for the seat currently filled by incumbent Linda Sanborn. The information below was completed solely by the candidate at the request of the Pensacola News Journal and appears unedited.
IF A CANDIDATE DID NOT RETURN A QUESTIONNAIRE BY DEADLINE, THEIR Q&A WAS NOT PUBLISHED.
Name: David Farrow
Office you’re seeking: Santa Rosa County School Board, District 1
Occupation: Retired Business Owner
Education: Milton High School, U.S. Army Veteran, DeVry University, Pensacola State College
Why are you running for this office?
I am running because every child deserves the opportunity to receive an excellent education that prepares them for success after graduation. Our teachers deserve strong leadership; our parents deserve a meaningful voice; and taxpayers deserve accountability.
As a business owner and veteran, I believe the School Board should ask tough questions, make informed decisions, and carefully steward every taxpayer’s dollar. Too often, important decisions receive little discussion or scrutiny. Our community deserves a School Board that provides thoughtful oversight, transparent leadership, and always keeps students at the center of every decision.
Are you an incumbent? If yes, how long have you served on the school board?
No, I am not the incumbent.
What experience do you have that makes you qualified for this office?
I bring more than four decades of business leadership, where I have managed budgets, solved complex problems, empowered employees, and led organizations through responsible decision-making. I am also a U.S. Army combat veteran who understands accountability, service, and leadership under pressure.
Education has been a lifelong priority for me. I have served on a School Safety Committee, advocated for improvements in education, worked with organizations serving students, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, and remained actively involved in my community. Those experiences provide the perspective needed to make thoughtful decisions that serve students, families, educators, and taxpayers.
Do you or have you been a parent of a child(ren) enrolled in the Santa Rosa County District Schools?
Yes, my oldest son John graduated from Pace High School in 1990.
In your view, what is the role of public schools?
The primary role of public schools is to educate, prepare, and equip students for successful, productive lives. Schools should provide a safe environment where students master core academic subjects, develop critical thinking skills, learn personal responsibility, and graduate prepared for college, military service, technical careers, or the workforce.
Public education succeeds when teachers are supported, parents are respected as partners, and students are challenged to reach their full potential.
In your view, what do you see as the biggest issue facing public schools in Santa Rosa County District Schools?
Our greatest challenges today are student readiness and restoring public confidence. We need to maintain public confidence while ensuring every student is prepared for the future. Families today have more educational choices than ever before, and districts must continually demonstrate value through strong academics, safe schools, responsible ‘prioritized’ spending, and transparent leadership.
When families trust their schools, teachers feel supported, and students achieve success. Enrollment and community confidence will naturally grow.
What do you think the district should be doing to mitigate dropping enrollment due to private school enrollment?
Families choose schools they believe best meet their children’s needs. Rather than focusing on competing with private schools, our district should focus on becoming the first choice for families by strengthening academic achievement, expanding career and technical education, supporting outstanding teachers, maintaining safe learning environments, and operating with transparency and fiscal responsibility.
When public schools consistently deliver excellent outcomes and earn the confidence of parents, enrollment will follow.
What do you believe should be changed about the school district, and what specific steps would you take to implement those changes?
“I’m running to help move our School Board from rubber-stamp decision-making to bold leadership.” The district should place greater emphasis on accountability, fiscal stewardship, and preparing students for long-term success. Every major decision should clearly demonstrate how it benefits students, supports teachers, and responsibly uses taxpayer dollars.
As a School Board member, I would strengthen oversight by asking tougher questions before approving major expenditures, requesting clear performance measures for new programs, and ensuring budget decisions prioritize classrooms before administrative growth. I would support policies that strengthen classroom discipline, expand career and technical education opportunities, and encourage meaningful public input before significant decisions are made.
I also believe the School Board must fulfill its responsibility to provide independent oversight of the superintendent through measurable goals, regular performance reviews, and transparent reporting to the public. The Board’s role is not to simply approve recommendations – it is to ask the tough questions, evaluate the facts, and make decisions that best serve students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers.
That is the kind of bold leadership I will bring to the School Board.
What do you believe the school district is doing right, and how would you improve it?
Santa Rosa County has many dedicated teachers, administrators, staff members, and volunteers who work hard every day to serve students. The district has also developed strong career and technical education opportunities, maintains positive community partnerships, and continues to achieve success in many academic areas.
My goal is to build on those strengths by bringing strong leadership and a fresh perspective to improve transparency, strengthen fiscal oversight, support teachers with practical solutions, maintain safe and disciplined classrooms, and ensure every decision is measured by one guiding question: Will this better prepare our students for the future?
If voters elect me, they can count on my commitment to BOLD leadership and a steady governing philosophy: every public dollar should be transparent, accountable, and focused on preparing students for future success.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: David Farrow for Santa Rosa County School Board, District 1 Q&A
Reporting by David Farrow, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By David Farrow, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
