Facing the voters: Danny Blanton – School Board

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent

Danny Blanton

I don’t know if Hell hath frozen over (it was much colder on Monday) but Danny Blanton agreed to sit down with The Shelby Independent to talk about his campaign for the Cleveland County Board of Education.

To say this wasn’t the most interesting interview would be to deny the truth, and there was also a bit of comical reprieve we had during the session.

“Look at me, stop typing. Look at me so I know you’re listening; don’t type. Did you hear what I just said? In 2009… - hey, stop typing – look at me here,” Blanton said, asking me to focus on what he was telling me, however, I also needed to write down what he was saying. So, the choice was either to stop typing and listen or keep typing and he would stop talking.

I started to laugh and even Blanton smiled and laugh a little bit, too.

Therefore, this feature, with the exception of a few quotes I typed out very quickly, is mostly from memory.

Danny Blanton was preparing to speak at the J.R.O.T.C. Ball, an annual dance held by all the high schools across the county for the Junior Reserves Officer Training Corps high school students. He took time out of his schedule to chat about why he was running for school board. Blanton was very gracious with his time, as we sat at a table near the back of the library. He spoke about his difficult childhood and his family and his history on the school board.

… In 2009, Blanton started working on uncovering financial mismanagement that happened during a previous CCS administration. It all finally came to light in 2011, propelling Blanton to run for school board and finally being elected in 2013.

Due to Blanton’s efforts, the reign over school credit card usage was tightened, strictly monitored and protocols were changed, causing some to resign or retire in the aftermath of the alleged financial mishap.

Now, as the primaries loom on March 3, Blanton is running again. He’s served the better part of a decade and a half on the school board, sometimes agreeing, and other times disagreeing, with the majority, Blanton is anything but shy, agreeable or easily swayed.

He once served on the Rutherford County – Cleveland County Workforce Board for three years. He said he truly believes in CTE and has run on the same platform for about 16 years.

The first Republican on the board, he served on the school board before political parties were affirmed, and long before there was an all-Republican nine-seat board. He was also previously on the DSS Advisory Board and now serves on the current Health and DSS Governing Board. As a Cleveland County Board of Education Member, he serves on the Safety and Operations Committee.

However, even as the first Republican on the school board, Blanton feels politics should stay out of school board elections.

“Politics should have stayed out of the school boards,” he noted. “It’s about the children, not Democrat, Republican or Unaffiliated – it’s about our children and what’s best for them – our taxpayers. Not one, not two, but all 100,000 people of Cleveland County."

His concern for now, and in the future, are the high number of teacher turnovers across the school system.

“It’s time for our school system to stop having resignations every month. This needs to stop,” Blanton stated firmly. “I’ve gotten tired of bringing it up and so has others. This is tough for us. We have to talk to our teachers and find out what we can do to keep them from leaving during the middle of the semester. We’re doing what we can, but they keep leaving and I know we can do better. I bring it up all the time. I care about our teachers and especially the kids; it’s all about the kids, but to be all about the kids we have to take care of our hard-working teachers.”

He said he has a good relationship with the county commissioners and thinks the school board and the county communicate well, but the school board as a whole could probably do better.

“I respect them and we're all on good terms, but they know me,” he said. “I don’t bend for anyone, but they respect my stance and I respect them for it.”

(Danny Blanton continued below..)

Then, the topic shifted to the the controversial calendar law, which Blanton is firmly adamant - the law needs to be changed.

“I don’t want these kids to have to come back and try to take their tests after Christmas. That’s not fair on any of those kids or the teachers; so, you’re right I want the law changed, but we have to be careful and follow the law. The parents wanted the calendar we ended up voting for, and I do too, but I voted the way I did to protect our school system from getting in trouble.”

Blanton said he went to every council across Cleveland County, and everyone signed a letter except City of Shelby – it was to send to NC State Senator Phil Berger, but it never was "pulled from the table." as Blanton put it.

It was about changing the calendar law – “I’m not going to break the law and I’m all for that calendar we have but I’m not going to break the law.” He said that the general statute for the calendar law is questionable, but the law is first, even though he agrees the calendar approved by the school board for the upcoming school year is best for the students.

Blanton said it’s all about the students. He said it many times. He said that he’s dealt with a lot over the years and yet through it all he has never given up and promises to continue doing what he feels is right for Cleveland County Schools.

“My back is fused and it’s been that way for over 16 years, and my back don’t give, because I work for every last taxpayer and child. I’m not giving up now. I still stand for what I’ve stood for since I first got elected. I also encourage every registered voter to get out and vote whether you vote for me, or not. Please get out and go vote to make sure you decide who gets elected.”

The Primary is March 3.

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Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent. 

The Shelby Independent.