KNOW BEFORE YOU GO VOTE!
What firsthand experience does each candidate bring with the Suffolk Public Schools system they want to help lead? How has that experience shaped their ideas for improving our schools?
Board Member Kim Slingluff believes that competition through school choice will drive improvements in public schools.
(Source: iVoterGuide, 2026 Candidate Questionnaire)
But serving on the Suffolk School Board involves more than what happens in the classroom. It means overseeing a system that families rely on every day, including transportation, special education, school safety, staffing, student support, and school funding.
As a parent whose children have attended Suffolk Public Schools, Karima Lockwood knows these systems firsthand. She’s experienced the challenges families face and understand how School Board decisions affect students beyond the classroom. “My philosophy is that public schools are community institutions that should be strengthened from within, with parents, educators, administrators, and the community sharing responsibility for improving student outcomes.”
School choice also raises an important funding question. When students leave a public school, some funding may leave with them. But schools still have to pay for buildings, buses, teachers, and special services. How do we protect these services when fewer students attend?
Public schools have a duty to serve every student, including children who need extra help or special services.
This isn't about whether families should have choices. It's about how we make Suffolk Public Schools stronger while making sure every child gets the education and support they need.
As an SPS parent, I bring firsthand knowledge of the challenges families face. I believe improving our schools starts with listening to those families, supporting teachers, and working together to help students succeed.
Strong Schools. Strong Community. Vote for Karima Lockwood
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO VOTE!
Board Member Kim Slingluff repeatedly voted NO on school bills and payroll. She also opposed the superintendent's CFO appointment.
What were her concerns?
School Board members make decisions about millions of dollars in public money. Families and taxpayers deserve to know how those decisions are made. Board Member Kim Slingluff campaigns on transparency, accountability, and responsible use of public money.
However, between December 2024 and April 2026, School Board records show at least nine NO votes by Slingluff on monthly bills and payroll.
These bills include teacher payroll and other costs needed to operate our schools.
While Suffolk Public Schools was preparing its 2026–2027 budget, the district was operating without a Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The CFO helps manage school finances, track spending, and prepare the budget. Having this position vacant during budget season raises concerns about financial planning and oversight.
On March 26, 2026, Slingluff voted NO three times during the process involving the superintendent's choice for CFO, including the final vote to approve the appointment.
The approved meeting minutes do not explain her reasons for these votes or identify another solution she proposed.
What concerns led to these votes? What changes did she want? And how did she explain her concerns to the public?
Voting NO can be part of careful financial oversight. But responsible leadership also means identifying problems, working toward solutions, and explaining decisions to the public.
Accountability is not just about how a Board member votes. It is about what they do to address the concerns behind those votes.
My professional experience includes managing multimillion-dollar budgets, and my service on Suffolk's Economic Development Authority Board has given me experience with public decision-making.
I understand that a School Board's job is not to manage the daily operations of our schools. That is the superintendent's responsibility. The Board's job is to set clear expectations, oversee public spending, ask tough questions, and hold district leadership accountable for results.
That is the approach I would bring to serving on the Suffolk School Board.
Vote Karima Lockwood for Responsible Stewardship
Sources and Voting Records
Monthly Bills and Payroll: Nine Recorded NO Votes
Chief Financial Officer Appointment – March 2026 Meeting
Source: Suffolk Public Schools, Official School Board Meeting Minutes (December 2024–April 2026)
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO VOTE!
“In April 2025, Board Member Kim Slingluff led the effort to suspend Suffolk's Educational Equity Policy. In July, she also voted against its replacement.”
Suffolk has a long history of school segregation and documented gaps in student outcomes. Board Member Slingluff campaigns on giving every child the support they need and closing achievement gaps.
In April 2025, Slingluff led the effort to suspend Suffolk Public Schools' Educational Equity Policy because of concerns about losing federal funding. However, in July, she voted against the new Educational Opportunity Policy, too.
The public School Board minutes do not explain her vote or record an alternative solution from her.
In August, a federal court ruled that Trump's DEI directives were unlawful. The public record shows no reconsideration of the policy following the court ruling, even though Slingluff serves on the Policy Review Committee.
How will we identify students who need the most help, make sure resources reach them, and measure whether achievement gaps are closing?
Accountability means more than casting a vote. The public deserves to know why important decisions are made and what leaders do when things change.
School Board decisions have lasting effects on students, families, and teachers.
My approach to leadership is built on clear goals, careful decisions, and measurable results. I believe School Board members should explain their decisions, listen to the community, and review policies to make sure they are helping students succeed.
Vote Karima Lockwood for Responsible Leadership and Accountability.
Sources: Educational Equity Policy and Voting Records
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April 24, 2025, School Board Minutes — Slingluff introduced the motion to suspend the Educational Equity Policy. See page 4.
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July 24, 2025, School Board Minutes — Slingluff voted NO on the revised policy, which passed 4–2. See page 2.
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Educational Equity / Educational Opportunity Policy Comparison — Shows the changes to the policy's language, goals, and methods for measuring student outcomes.