Alex Stemle joined Steve Stewart of the Steve Stewart show to discuss his candidacy for the Leon County School Board for District 4. Additionally, Stemle discussed the crucial topics concerning the school district and school board.
Stemle, a native of Tallahassee, graduated from Florida State University with a master’s degree in business administration. He also earned a second master’s degree in educational leadership from the American College of Education.
He has had a long career in education, working in District 4 schools as a classroom teacher, a dean of students, and an athletics director. Currently, Stemle serves as the assistant principal at Amos P. Godby High School. However, if he wins the school board position, he will resign from his role at Godby to avoid conflict.
Stemle previously ran against incumbent Dee Dee Rasmussen in 2020 and lost. Early this year, Rasmussen resigned due to health reasons. He is in a the race with Laurie Cox and Susan Hodges.
“A lot of the challenges we had in our schools prior to the pandemic, we still have in our schools,” Stemle explained when asked why he is running again. “I personally see the challenges our schools go through. I’m in those schools, and the experience I have, I think I can bring to the board and ask the right questions.”
Stewart asked the school board candidate what he believes are the top issues Leon County Schools are facing now.
Stemle asserted that school safety and mental health are a top priority. He wants to have the ability to verify that the district is doing everything it can to protect students.
Another issue Stemle says he will focus on is giving educators and parents a voice. “It is important that school board members get on campus, that they talk with teachers, talk with parents, that they return phone calls, that they show up for meetings, and that they vote on issues…I’ll be that voice for parents,” Stemle said.
Stewart asked Stemle his thoughts on educators taking to social media regarding political issues and what he might suggest.
“They have rights as people, outside of their school day, but they do take a pledge to do what’s best for students, day in and day out. So, I would say to them that when we get into these debates online, it is not helping us to do our job, and it’s a tough job that teachers do.”
Stemle expressed that school officials should notify parents about personal issues their child might be facing when Stewart asked about the controversial Parents Bill of Rights.
However, Stemle said if there is suspicion the child may be in danger, then DCF should be notified. Rather than the previous policy of LCS that enabled officials to talk and guide students without informing their parents.
To wrap up the interview, Stemle noted that in 2020 he finished the race with 40% of the vote, and he understood then that people wanted someone with experience. However, “Going forward,” Stemle said, “I feel that I am the experienced candidate in this race.”
District 4 Candidate Alex Stemle Addresses School Board Issues added by Lynsey Kirk on
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@Hope
Pointing out your lack of knowledge about the candidates is a far cry from name calling.
It’s no secret that Alex Stemle is married and has been for almost 15 years. His wife has taught at the same school for a very long time and they have 2 children currently attending the same District 4 school.
I’m not sure what you are trying to do, but you have it all backwards!
I think you meant the conflict of interest is with COX whose husband is ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT. That’s clearly a massive issue.
I hope Leon County voters will do the right thing and vote for the ONLY candidate that accepts the 2020 election results and the only candidate who has the tools to make a difference. We HAVE to get our kids back on track!
If anyone is interested during the June 23rd interview on the Steve Stewart show (34:12) Stemle shares his wife is a teacher. After looking on his info pages it is everywhere. So shady that Hope is hell bent on spewing a false narrative to deflect from his/her candidates (Cox) and her relationship with the Assistant Superintendent of School Management. Good ole’ boy Tallahassee politics on view for everyone.
Spot on Gus! I am voting for Alex Stemle after asking my friends who are teachers what they think about the candidates. By far the most positive responses were towards Mr. Stemle, he seems to be a solid guy, i don’t know him personally. The teachers I spoke with seemed very excited about the voice he will provide. I was unaware of the divide between the schools and the district office, many spoke that they believed the other candidates are not in a position to stand up for schools, students, and parents. My wife and I are willing to give Mr Stemle a shot. Our grandkids are enrolled at Hawks Rise.
Gus,
This is an example of being passive aggressive ( am attack). I asked straightforward relevant intelligent questions that are only met with passive-aggressiveness, nonsense, attacks, etc. This campaign just keeps digging themselves in deeper.
Yet, still no answers to the questions that I have asked and which actually aren’t that hard to answer unless you are trying to hide something.
Have a nice walk.
Hope, I have no association with anyone involved in any capacity with Leon County schools or candidates for school board now or in the past. My kids are decades out of LCS’s.
I read TR to try to learn stuff about local politics my isolation does not provide. Usually I find your comments informative and insightful.
But this time your repeated posting plus the tone has convinced me to seriously consider Mr Stemle. I might suggest taking a deep breath and a walk around the block so I can once again enjoy reading your posts.
My family (5 votes) will all be going to Mr.Stemle for School Board. Clear choice in this race folks. Not even close.
Louise,
I believe you are mistaken… the mudslinging seems to be coming from the Stemle campaign. Not a good look for someone in his position and who has an MBA. Very unprofessional.
Why does Mr. Stemle not put his wife in the photograph, but another female who is unnamed? Does he not want to advertise that his wife is a Leon County school teacher? It doesn’t add up.
A legitimate question that this campaign refuses to answer. They answer with an attack. Again, very irresponsible and unprofessional.
Hope…I have confirmed TR chose the photos not Mr.Stemle. Refrain from throwing mud, support your candidate in a positive way, and vote who you want. Focus your commentary on what you know.
TR Staff
“Hope says:
August 1, 2022 at 7:46 pm
I am supporting Mr.Stemle!”
Please delete the above comment as someone used my name to write this comment. I did not write this. This is stealing my identity and is identity theft. Now identity theft is associated with the Stemle campaign.
Hope ( The original Hope)
@ Jen,
There the Stemle supporters go again name calling and spewing negativity rather than saying what he will do better.
Why is he using a picture without his wife in it? Is he trying to hide the fact that his wife is a teacher for Leon County Schools? He was using a family picture in a campaign ad, but it wasn’t his wife, and the person wasn’t identified in the photo. When this was brought to the attention the next article on Stemle the photo was changed with only him in it. It is not adding up.
@faithful and @hope –
Your question about why Stemle would go from AP to a school board gig demonstrates your ignorance and lack of research on the candidates. Lori is/was a PE coach…. That is what she trained for and that is what she was great at. No one is questioning that.
Alex STARTED out in the business field. He went into education because he truly cares about helping kids. His voice on the school board WILL make a greater impact than in the classroom- hands down. I think he may just be able to use his MBA to find another place of employment in an unbiased field (unlike DeeDee)……
Team Stemle all the way- we need people that represent the future- not the past!!
I am supporting Mr.Stemle!
@ Dennis Barton and others: Do you think a School Board Member should be a Parent? Do you think that, someone who is Single and never had Kids could make a good School Board Member? If not Why?
Is there anyone running for the school board who has not been immersed in the cesspool that is the Leon County School System? We need a business person who has been successful making common sense decisions and does not have the baggage of a long time Leon County “educator”. Someone? Anyone…
@ Fred and Civic,…
Why don’t you just answer the question? Why is someone attempting to move from an assistance school principal’s position to a school board position? It is a fair question (yet you ignore it). Not classy.
So far you fail the test.
Yes please watch the debate and decide but do it with an open mind. If so, you’ll see why Mr Stemle is the best candidate.
Hope..have you asked your friend, Laurie, why she retired two years early from teaching PE for the school board position? That is the real question and the same question you ask of Alex, who ran in 2020. Come on Hope let it go, abstain from this debate. Maybe both feel called to lead our district, that is a great sign of our democracy at work. Cox left the kids a month early in the middle of a teacher shortage, exactly 6 months prior to November (double dip on that retirement). Seems reasonable request for Cox to answer.
Staff:
A little box with a green check-mark appears at the bottom of the picture. I noticed it wasn’t on another candidate’s on their article after appearing on your radio show.
1) Is this article a paid advertisement?
2) Is this your endorsement of this candidate?
Thank you for answering the previous question regarding his resignation (if he wins).
Now a new question.. why would he go from the assistant principal’s position to a school board position? This just does make sense. Will he have another job in addition to an LCS position?
I believe this is a fair question and a very important one how many different levels.
Laurie Cox needs to be asked if she will recuse herself from any vote which will affect her husband. If she will not it is a clear conflict of interest and she shouldn’t be running. If she says yes she will, why vote for her since she won’t be voting on nearly every vote that is taken.
@ Faithful,
I concur!
@ Mark,
Why would someone go from assistant principal to school board? It does not make sense and it doesn’t make him the most qualified. It is not “negative” to ask a legitimate question that needs to be answered.
Lori Lawson Cox is, by far, my choice for school board, district 4.She will listen to all stakeholders, ensure transparency, respect parents, and improve school safety. Most importantly, she has integrity and Christian values along with the education and school experience we need.
Mr. Stemle is by far the most knowledgeable in the race and on the debate stage. Any reasonable, unbiased, observer would see otherwise after watching the debate. Do your homework voters. Alex Stemle has the four votes from our household here in District 4. Hope- quit spewing negativity and support our public schools.
In my opinion Mr. Stemle is best suited, has the most relevant experience, and seems to have the mindset for change leadership.
In the Tallahassee Democrat WFSU PBS and League of Women Voters forum which the replay can be viewed Stemle was bested by his two opponents.
It is not quite clear why someone would go from assistant principal to school board, that does not make sense.
One opponent had reviewed the DeSantis agenda and was for it; Stemle and the other opponent had not even reviewed it.
I’ll let others be informed by watching the forum with all the three candidates and decide, but I know one thing, Stemle is not my choice.