PHX Reporter

Moms for Liberty has endorsed Robert Paul Olmstead in his race for a seat on the Laveen Elementary School District (LESD) Governing Board. Early voting began on October 9 and extends through November 1 for the November 5 general election.

Olmstead's primary goal is to expand educational opportunities for students, to benefit those students not only in their academic pursuits but also in life, according to a candidate Q&A in the Arizona Republic.

Olmstead told the Arizona Republic that, with regard to college and career readiness, he believes that LESD can and should provide students with paths to pursue careers in both STEM fields and in trades. He has already met with LESD Superintendent Jeff Sprout to discuss the possibility of launching a program that would give interested students opportunities to explore trades.

Asked about teacher recruitment and retention, Olmstead said Superintendent Sprout and his staff were already working to ensure that LESD teachers feel empowered to share their concerns, and he said that he "would continue to support the programs that are in place to recruit and retain excellent educators while looking for opportunities to innovate in our compensation and benefit plans."

Olmstead has served for more than three decades on the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority. Currently, he serves as fire marshal in Sun City.

In addition to having coached wrestling at both Higley High School and Benjamin Franklin High School, he has served as an Assistant Scout Master for Wood Badge Adult Leadership Training since 2005 and as Scoutmaster, Team Coach, Venture Leader, Committee Chair, and Advancement Chair for the Boy Scouts of America since 1996, according to his LinkedIn page. 

According to the Laveen Elementary School District Governing Board page, the Board comprises five members. Per the Maricopa County Superintendent's Office, in the upcoming general election, there are three four-year positions available on the Board.

Moms for Liberty is a parental-rights-in-education advocacy group founded by Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, two former school board members. According to their website, "Moms for Liberty is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government."