MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — Sisters, democracy is alive in Mrs. Hollis’s second-grade class. The race for Room Mom heads to a fourth runoff this week after the third round ended in a three-way tie and a formal complaint about ballot energy.
In the interest of full transparency, I am one of the candidates, along with Kinsley Ashford and Margaux Delacroix-Beasley. All three of us are running professional campaigns, with yard signs, platforms and some very tasteful attack ads. Kinsley is running on “Better Snacks, Better Futures.” Margaux has promised a wellness-forward classroom and a monthly sound bath. My platform is “Experience Matters (I Did This in Preschool).” I’ll let voters decide whose message is strongest. (Mine.)
Things got tense last week when an anonymous flyer claimed one candidate once sent in store-bought Valentines. That candidate responded with a notarized statement and receipts from a stationer in Buckhead. I would just like to say the Valentines were from Buckhead.
The class has 22 families, and three of them still have the group chat unmuted. Even so, turnout in the third runoff hit an incredible 110%, which election officials attributed to grandmothers. Civic engagement is so inspiring.
Mrs. Hollis has been wonderful throughout. She has told all of us several times that the job is mostly one email a month and napkins for the holiday party, which is so humble of her. “Honestly, whoever wins, I just need disinfecting wipes and maybe some dry-erase markers,” she said. “The blue ones are gone. They’re all gone.” We have noted her priorities.
The fourth runoff is Friday, after a debate in the gym moderated by a local news anchor who owes Kinsley a favor. Please vote, and please remember Experience Matters.