Kingsbury backs Smith in school race

Outgoing Berkeley school board member Dan Kingsbury is familiar with both candidates running for his seat in the Feb. 5 election.

Kingsbury, who resigned from the board because of a career relocation to Columbia, has decided that Karen Smith is best suited to follow in his footsteps.

In a letter explaining his endorsement of Smith instead of opponent Doug Cooper, Kingsbury mentioned her "countless volunteer hours" as president of the Daniel Island School's Parent Teacher Association and her widespread knowledge of education issues. Kingsbury called Smith a "coalition builder."

"You will find Karen Smith to be independent on a highly divisive board, one who will strive to bring consensus, but not afraid to make tough decisions," he wrote.

Still, Smith said Kingsbury's endorsement does not require her to vote the same way as her predecessor on every issue. She would follow her own beliefs, she said.

Smith has pledged to focus on responsible budgeting and spending, improving graduation rates and building community support for schools. The mother of a sixth-grader at the Daniel Island School, Smith serves as chief financial officer for two small businesses that she owns with her husband.

Kingsbury's letter praised both Smith and Cooper as "wonderful people" who care about the community. Cooper, the general manager for McNaughton-McKay Electric Co., has daughters at Hanahan High and the Daniel Island School and also has served as an active PTA member.

Cooper was endorsed two weeks ago by Citizens for Reasonable Taxation, a grassroots conservative group that supported three out of four winning candidates in the November 2006 school board election. The group's founder, Catherine Welborn, did not interview either candidate before backing Cooper.

Reach Mindy B. Hagen at 937-5433 or mhagen@postandcourier.com.