BREMERTON — Two months shy of the 2016 election, another race bites the dust.
Sheila Collins, candidate for Bremerton School Board Director Position 1, has thrown her support behind opponent Naomi Evans. It’s too late for Collins’ name to be withdrawn from the November ballots, so she’d like to make her position clear.
“I endorse her wholeheartedly,” Collins said of Evans. “I strongly encourage people to vote and I really, really want them to vote for Naomi.”
Collins withdrew because largely due to time constraints.
“I just have too many commitments,” Collins said. “I wanted to be able to give it the full attention it deserves. I didn’t just want to be a figurehead.”
Evans said she’s honored to have Collins’ support.
“I think after meeting and getting to know Sheila I believe she was running for the right reasons (the children) and I respect her work in our community so to have someone like that believe in me and support what I am doing is invaluable,” Evans said. “Sheila is a great person and I look forward to continued friendship and advice from such a wonderful community member.”
The two met in person for the first time almost by chance at the Kitsap County Fair when Evans, who was working at a Republicans booth, introduced herself to Collins, who was volunteering for the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, which provides assistance to people on Medicare.
They talked and found they have similar views on a number of issues, particularly their shared dislike for Common Core, which holds K-12 students across the country to the same standards.
“We both agree that Common Core is not in the best interest of the students in this state,” Collins said.
Evans is the parent of a special needs student (her oldest son was diagnosed with high functioning autism and ADHD) and would like to advocate on their behalf.
She said as a parent she didn’t always get the support she needed until she announced she was running for school board director.
“Things need to run a little smoother in the special needs program,” Evans said.
Ultimately, Evans and Collins said they both want to do what’s best for the students.
“We both agree that everyone should be interested in what’s best for all students,” Collins.
