Green to challenge Raker for Douglas County School Board

With a little more than 50 percent of the votes in Tuesday's primary election, teacher Randy Green will begin his campaign against incumbent John Raker for the Douglas County School Board.

"I've had a lot of positive feedback," Green, 49, said. "This is the first step, but I'm definitely pleased."

Raker said he expected Green to get many of the votes, having taught in the district for 23 years.

"He's much better known than I am," Raker, 57, said. "He had a lot of support from teachers and all the folks that have gone through his classes. He's a great guy."

However, Raker posed the question that many have - can Green serve on the board while serving as a teacher?

Green says "yes."

"I know it's going to be an issue," he said. "But why shouldn't I be given the same consideration as any other member of the community?"

He said the possible conflict is that the board votes on the salary contracts of the teachers in the district.

"They may think I would use my position to manipulate a financial interest," he said. "I've worked in this district for 23 years. I'm as far advanced on the contractual scale as I'll ever be. I don't believe I have a financial interest."

Green won the primaries with 2,668 votes. Raker beat his contender John Louritt by a narrow margin of 1,489 to 1,487.

"By two votes, that's pretty close," Raker said. "I feel good about being in the race."

Green, a high-school government teacher and former basketball coach, said his large majority of votes shows the confidence the public has in teachers.

"The people know there are a lot of great teachers in the district," he said. "This community does have great trust in its teachers."

Louritt, 54, was not surprised with the outcome.

"I was the least known of the three," he said.