BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

The next election for the Clarkston Community Schools Board of Education won’t be held until November 2022, but for Clarkston resident David Meyer, he is starting his campaign now.
Recently, Meyer announced his intent to run for one of the two expiring seats that expire in 16 months, those of Vice-President Greg Need and Trustee Cheryl McGinnis.
Meyer said that his decision to run for the school board “just happened.”
“Throughout the COVID shutdowns I was unhappy with many of the decisions that were made, and when talking to other CCS families, realized that I was not alone,” said Meyer. “It became clear that organizing and demonstrating was not going to be enough to affect the change we wanted to see. As new topics came before the school board and more decisions were made that were out of line with my views and many in the community, I felt I needed to do more. I needed to change the direction of our school district from the inside.”
That said, Meyer said he has always supported the school board since he and his wife Leah moved to Clarkston in 2009 and their children (Jeremiah, going into fourth grade at Independence Elementary and Eliana, an incoming Level 3 special needs kindergartener at Pine Knob Elementary) started attending school in the district.
“One of the main reasons we moved here was for the schools,” said Meyer. “My wife is a former elementary and middle school teacher from the Waterford district and in 2013, she decided to leave teaching to put her focus in raising our children at home.
“We have two great kids. Jeremiah is an incredible mathematician and reader, and he aspires to be a veterinarian. My daughter has Williams Syndrome, which is a rare genetic mutation that causes global developmental delays and some health issues. Williams kids like Ellie are known for their bubbly social personalities. She will bring a smile to your face on the worst of days, and she has taught me so much about how to see and love people. She has an affinity for music and wants to be either a unicorn or a mermaid when she grows up.”
Meyer said most of the school board members “have a strong desire to do what’s best for our children.”

“Like I said, my family and I moved to Clarkston to take advantage of the incredible school district,” said Meyer. “I had very little interest in the school board prior to 2020. I was happy with the reputation of our district and with the experiences we had up to that point. In regard to change, I want to be a conservative voice on the board, and I want to be a representative of our community. Throughout the last 18 months, a large part of our community simply does not feel heard. Despite emails to the board and (CCS Superintendent) Dr. (Shawn) Ryan and activism in the biweekly meetings, we see little change, and feel that we have been dismissed rather than acknowledged.”
What ideas and philosophies would Meyer hope to bring to the board, if elected?
“I will be a transparent voice of the community,” Meyer said. “Many of our residents don’t feel represented in our current school board, and I would work to make sure I am not just pushing my personal views but also the views of the people I am elected to represent.
“If I didn’t think I could make a difference, I wouldn’t run. I am a fairly strong personality while also being able to work to find common ground. Our schools aren’t in need of radical change, but I am not happy about the direction things are turning. I want to make sure that we can right the ship before we get too far down the road. A small rudder correction now will make much difference downstream.”
Last week, Meyer was at Clintonwood Park soliciting signatures to officially become a nominee for the school board. A nominee needs 100 signatures to be on the ballot, and Meyer is already more than halfway there.
“I have been completely humbled by the community,” Meyer said. “So many people have reached out in support of the campaign and asked how they can help. Several community members braved inclement weather to visit with me at Clintonwood Park. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for the outpouring of support I have received.”
Overall, Meyer is excited to potentially bring a new philosophy to CCS.
“As I have mentioned in our school board meetings, our current strategic plan is to work to make all of our schools achieve an average and as you can see, neither of my kids are average,” said Meyer. “Like all children, mine are unique individuals with their own gifts and challenges. I believe rather than grouping our children in ‘subgroups’ and working to make average, we need to dedicate our resources to meeting each child at their own individual level to create an appropriately challenging learning environment.
“Whether that means providing general education, interventionists or advanced and accelerated classes, all children should have the opportunity to meet their fullest potential.”