We begin with District 1 and Jimmy Glover.
By Ed James III
Original Air Date: April 22, 2026
Host: Today we are taking a first dive into the races for three seats on the Sarasota County School Board. We’re beginning with District 1—that’s the northernmost district in the county covering most of the City of Sarasota, and it’s the seat held by Bridget Ziegler, the conservative firebrand and founder of Moms for Liberty. Ed James III brings us a profile of Jimmy Glover, who, if elected, would be Sarasota’s first Black school board member.
Ed James III: Jimmy Glover met with me at the Betty J. Johnson Library, a space many students in School Board District 1—more specifically, the Newtown community—use for after-school programs and academic enrichment. A long-time Sarasota resident, Glover has worked three decades as a flight attendant. The father of four argues that his background in crisis management is exactly what a polarized school board needs.
Glover has made a living keeping cool in high-pressure situations at 37,000 feet.
Jimmy Glover
Jimmy Glover: I’m currently a flight attendant. I’ve been a flight attendant now for 30 years and counting. Being a flight attendant for United Airlines has given me leadership skills, has given me crisis management skills and most of all has given me customer service skills that allow me to be able to talk to a number of different people—be able to relate to a number of different people. It’s also provided me an opportunity—I might deal with as many as a thousand people in a day, and when an emergency happens, those people are looking to me to make sure they get off that plane safely. I’ve gained a lot of trust and respect in that field.
EJ: Glover’s reasons for entering into the race are personal, too. Having seen four children through the Sarasota school system and with a wife who taught in the district, he notes that the dinner table issues aren’t the ones making headlines. He says his journey began with a deep dive into literacy rates in his own neighborhood of Newtown.
JG: Initially, when I got involved with being a candidate, I was really concerned with the reading levels in Newtown where I live. Even though the literacy rate as far as Sarasota County is high, when I did a deeper dive into what the literacy levels were in Newtown, I was quite disturbed that a lot of the kids in my community weren’t on reading level, and I really wanted to make a difference.
Bridget Ziegler
EJ: While school board races are technically nonpartisan, the partisan divide is clear: Jimmy Glover is a registered Democrat, while both of his opponents, Heidi Brandt and Teresa Ann Dewitt, are registered Republicans. The incumbent, Bridget Ziegler—who has yet to announce her plans—is also a Republican. Historically, local political parties provide resources to their respective candidates—and they can break them, too—even in these nonpartisan contests.
When we examine the financial landscape, the stakes are clear. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Glover has raised over $83,000. A closer look at his fundraising for the first quarter of 2026 reveals a broad grassroots effort: He has received 262 individual donations across January, February and March. With a legal campaign donation limit of $1,000 per person, Glover is averaging $178 per donor.
Glover argues that the current representation is failing the needs of District 1—particularly its minority families. He cites a recent resolution promoted by Ziegler and narrowly passed by the board that pledges cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Jimmy Glover with students
JG: One particular moment for me was when the ICE resolution came up. I’m not sure if a lot of people are familiar that District 1 is a heavily Hispanic population, and the fact that that particular person brought up that ICE resolution was really disturbing to me because she instilled a lot of fear in the community—a lot of fear in the children who actually go to school with my daughter. Just for that reason alone, I believe there needs to be a change.
EJ: Glover argues that the board needs to move past ideological distractions and return to a student-centered perspective. He believes much of the recent activity has been a waste of valuable time.
JG: Right now, every resolution that has come up in the last four months has not been student-centered or teacher-centered. For me, as a parent and now as a candidate, I would like them to stop wasting our time and get back to doing what’s going to matter for the students and the teachers and the parents.
EJ: Part of what matters for Glover is preparing students for life after graduation—especially those not bound for a four-year university. He wants more emphasis on apprenticeship and trade readiness, starting as early as ninth grade.
Booker High School
JG: College and career readiness is a big part of my platform. Booker High School has a college and career resource room that my children were a part of. I believe that what we need to do starting in ninth grade is have those children come in and start planning what their future is. By doing that, not only will they find out what they want to do but maybe what If they don’t want to do, which is just as important. I believe that we need to give them the tools so that, when they do graduate, they know whether or not they want to go to college. Maybe they want to go and do a trade. Maybe they want to go into the military. But, if they have a plan in place starting in ninth grade, they’ll be better prepared for what’s happening in this world today.
EJ: We also touched on the looming departure of a local icon: Dr. Rachel Shelley, the long-time principal of Booker High School. Glover credits Dr. Shelley as a major inspiration for his run.
JG: Dr. Shelley has had a tremendous impact on my family. Dr. Shelley is one of the reasons that I decided to run for Sarasota County School Board. The impact that she’s had on all my children has been amazing, and I definitely feel that the community does need to have a voice in whoever her replacement is going to be.
EJ: With Sarasota public schools facing shrinking student enrollment, a budget deficit, teaching job cuts and a competitive teacher market, I asked Glover how he plans to keep veteran teachers from leaving.
JG: We definitely need to make sure that we’re respecting our teachers. Obviously, with more pay, that would be great, but we need to show the teachers here that they are valued and respected so that we don’t lose them to other districts.
EJ: For Glover, the stakes are not only ideological but also historical; if he wins, he will become the first African American ever elected to the Sarasota County School Board. He describes himself as a listener, and he is betting that voters are ready for someone like him.
JG: Listening and trust. Right now, the citizens of Sarasota don’t feel like the current school board majority is listening to them. When people don’t feel listened to, they lose trust. When I’m on the school board, my first order is going to be restoring trust in the school board. I believe I’m the person who can restore trust in the community because I listen. I’m willing to listen to all sides. I’m here for all students.
EJ: Reporting for WSLR News, I’m Ed James III.
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