SCOE Candidates Sloan and Gorman Outline Priorities on Literacy, Privacy, and Core Academics on Kevin Crye Show
Shasta County, Calif. — On October 4, 2026, KQMS News Talk 105.7 host Kevin Crye and intern Deasle Delello interviewed Dr. Dan Sloan, a candidate for Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) Trustee Area 1, and incumbent Trustee Authur Gorman of Area 2. The two are not competing against each other; voters in each area elect their own trustees.
The Shasta County Board of Education consists of seven members representing two trustee areas. Area 1 generally includes the Enterprise, Grant, Redding, and Shasta Union elementary school districts; Area 2 covers the remainder of the county. Board members serve four-year staggered terms. In the November 3, 2026, election, two seats are open in each area. (Area 1 has 3 representatives, and Area 2 has 4 representatives.)
Area 1 candidates (vote for two): Bruce Ross, Dan Sloan, Michele Renee Tyson, Nancy Walker, Dawn M. Willoughby, and Madison Zimmerman.
Area 2 candidates (vote for two): Lisa Marie Barry, Authur Gorman (incumbent), Teresa Roberts (incumbent), and Shaye Stephens.
Gorman, an emergency-room nurse and current Area 2 trustee (term December 2022–2026), is endorsed by the Shasta County Republican Assembly, the Shasta County Republican Central Committee, the GOP Union Caucus, Moms for Liberty, and the California Parents Union, among other groups and elected officials. He also serves as 2nd Vice Chair of the Central Committee.
Sloan, a professor at Simpson University, consultant, and entrepreneur with a doctorate in financial economics, is a member of the Shasta County Republican Central Committee (District 2) and previously served as its chairman. He is endorsed by current SCOE Board President Michael Orlicky.
The California Republican Assembly has endorsed Michele Renee Tyson in Area 1 and Gorman and Roberts in Area 2.
During the interview, both candidates stressed a return to core academics—literacy, mathematics, critical reading, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)—while integrating tools such as artificial intelligence to keep graduates competitive. Sloan warned that California lags behind more rigorous international standards and that an overemphasis on social controversies has contributed to low proficiency. He advocated brain-based learning approaches aligned with research by Dr. Kieran O’Mahony to improve classroom conditions and reduce behavioral issues.
Gorman highlighted successful local programs such as Power Reading and reading buddies, arguing they should be scaled countywide so that reading comprehension does not depend on a student’s zip code. He also called for structured career-readiness pathways beginning in freshman year to address basic workforce skills.
Privacy and data protection were central concerns. Student board representative Deasle Delello described a digital bathroom/hall-pass tracking system that allowed students to view peers’ information, creating FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) risks. Gorman noted that the board had unanimously ended a “Five Star” incentive program that functioned like a social-credit system and involved data sharing or marketing to children.
Sloan emphasized the need for clear FERPA compliance, access controls, and lawful alternatives so that safety tools do not expose student records or create permanent surveillance records of adolescent mistakes.
On civic literacy and constitutional rights, Gorman described a nonpartisan effort with SCOE and volunteers to distribute pocket Constitutions to eighth graders, reinforcing understanding of the First Amendment and the source of rights. Both candidates supported equal access for faith-based and other student clubs, school choice, and streamlined interdistrict transfers free of administrative bias.
Sloan proposed greater funding transparency through plain-language budgets and a permanent special-education subcommittee to deploy surplus funds toward measurable outcomes rather than cash accumulation. He also urged legislative alignment with state partners.
Gorman advocated stipends for “master teachers”—experienced mentors who strengthen classroom management and lesson planning—to rebuild support pipelines, reduce new-teacher burnout, and improve instruction.
The discussion also touched on foreign social-media manipulation of youth and the protective role of strong local communities and school boards. Crye underscored that public education dollars should prioritize critical thinking and foundational literacy over ideological agendas.
Here is a summary of publicly available endorsements for the remaining 2026 SCOE candidates (as of mid-October 2026). Formal endorsements for nonpartisan local school board races are often limited or not widely published.
Area 1 (Vote for 2)
Bruce Ross: Endorsed by John Dunlap, retired Structural Engineer. Ross is a longtime Redding School District board member (three terms) and California School Boards Association regional director. His candidate materials emphasize local experience and focus on Whiskeytown Environmental School and school choice.
Michele Renee Tyson: Endorsed by the California Republican Assembly (CRA) / Shasta County Republican Assembly, Moms for Liberty.
Nancy Walker: No public endorsements identified. She is a retired school administrator with 32 years of experience (26 years as a teacher and 4 years as an assistant principal in the Enterprise Elementary School District).
Dawn M. Willoughby: No public endorsements identified.
Madison Zimmerman: Serves as Parliamentarian of the Democratic Central Committee of Shasta County (DCCSC) and is listed as a District 2 member. She is a former SCOE student board member. No formal endorsement by the DCCSC (or other Democratic organizations) for her SCOE candidacy has been published.
Area 2 (Vote for 2)
Lisa Marie Barry: No public endorsements identified. She has 16 years of teaching experience and has been active as a community organizer in the Intermountain area (including Burney Friends and Neighbors).
Teresa Roberts (incumbent): Endorsed by the California Republican Assembly (CRA) / Shasta County Republican Assembly, Moms for Liberty.
Shaye Stephens: No public endorsements identified. She is a lifelong Shasta County resident and a Master’s-level educator with 19 years of public school teaching experience.
Notes:
To listen to the entire radio show, go to:
Authur Gorman and Dr. Dan Sloan were also interviewed on the Kevin Crye show on September 27th. To listen, go to: https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-ii7xm-1b6e344
Endorsement lists can continue to update before Election Day (November 3, 2026). Voters can also check candidate websites, the Shasta County Elections Office voter information guide, and local party sites for the latest information.
Voters can find candidate statements, trustee-area maps, and ballot information through the Shasta County Elections Office. Election Day is November 3, 2026.
