Kindall Fends off Eddings in District 7 School Board Race

Veteran Metro School Board member Ed Kindall secured another four years last night, barely beating out Cordenus Eddings for the District 7 seat.

Eddings had the backing of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, which was aiming to unseat Kindall. The Chamber’s endorsement of Eddings helped her raise twice as much cash as Kindall’s 12-thousand dollars. Still, that’s more than Kindall had previously raised for a school board race since he’s never been contested.

The 23-year board member says he’s not offended by the Chamber endorsing his opponent and still considers the business group a partner with Metro Schools. Kindall says the spirited campaign forced him to prove to voters he’s serious about the job.

“I know that I believe in what I believe in. I’m not always right about everything I express, but I’m certainly not going to change my conviction because any fear of defeat.”

Kindall says his first priority is the district’s failing status under No Child Left Behind. Secondly, he wants the board to revisit a recently-passed rezoning plan that would return Metro to neighborhood schools. Whether intentional or not, Kindall believes the plan is too divisive to not take a second look at it.

Outside District 7, Sharon Gentry easily won her District 1 seat representing North Nashville. Private school administrator Alan Coverstone won Marsha Warden’s old seat representing District 9, west of downtown Nashville. Board members Gracie Porter and Mark North kept their respective seats.