Youth advocate Gregory Pelham spent decades working with children in Alachua and Putnam counties. Now retired from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, he is seeking a seat on the Alachua County School Board.
Pelham, who is running to represent Dstrict 3 and unseat incumbent Sarah Rockwell, currently chairs Alachua county’s Department of Juvenile Justice board and the nonprofit Alachua County Health Promotions and Wellness Coalition which aims to prevent substance abuse among youth.
He also serves on the county’s Juvenile Justice Council, a coalition that addresses issues including drug use and mental health among young people. Pelham spent 12 years as a prevention specialist at Eastside High School and 16 years as a case manager and prevention specialist with the Sheriff’s Office Teen Court program.
That work, he said, took him into every middle and high school in the county.
“It has given me the experience of working with youth, to understand youth, to communicate with youth, and then allow youth to communicate with me. It gave me the opportunity to work with families, parents, community-based organizations across the board [on issues] related to juvenile delinquency, juvenile academics … you name it, I’ve done it,” Pelham said. “We need that on our board for this present age because our future is at stake right now.”
Among the issues facing students, Pelham said vaping and marijuana use are among the most pressing. He argued that synthetic chemicals found in many vaping and cannabis products are largely untested and can harm developing brains, affecting comprehension and decision-making. Since retiring, he said, parents still frequently call him for advice, including one mother whose son became aggressive after she took away his vape device.
Pelham said education is key to addressing the issue. He wants to expand efforts to educate parents, students and school personnel about the dangers of vaping and drug use, an approach he has emphasized throughout his career.
Pelham also said the board needs to do a better job managing district finances. He questioned decisions to close schools while spending millions of dollars renovating campuses that will absorb displaced students, especially as Alachua County and districts across Florida face budget challenges.
He argued that deferred maintenance contributed to problems at Alachua, Stephen Foster and Williams elementary schools, which are all slated to close within the next three years. He said the district’s decision to close Alachua Elementary despite continued residential growth in the city reflects a lack of long-term vision.
Pelham said his motivation for serving on the board stems from the relationships he has built with students, families, schools and community organizations over the years.
“I want to bring that experience and the experience that I have in opening lines of communication between all of those entities [to the role] in order for us to make our future brighter,” he said. “Our children are on life support, and we can’t keep doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different outcome.”
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Youth advocate Gregory Pelham running for School Board District 3 seat
Reporting by Chelsea Long, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chelsea Long, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
