Comments for Austin Garrison Announces Candidacy For Beaufort County School Board District 2 Seat | Eastern North Carolina Now
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I wish those two conservatives had held firm. I understand that Cheeseman was putting out the word that he would move teachers from schools in their district and then blame them if they did not go along. Cheeseman plays dirty pool, as do those who associate with him.
What we need is a school board majority that is not in Cheeseman's hip pocket, but as long as a majority are, our school system is in a mess,
Commented: Monday, March 31st, 2025 @ 10:28 am
By: John Steed
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This article names the so-called "four conservative PAC members" and that 2 of them voted in opposition to closing Snowden. It failed to mention that the other 2 voted to close Snowden and that one even made the motion to move forward with the closing. Might want to include all the facts next time.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 7:25 pm
By: True Republican
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Steve: This new Republican Executive committee should be ready to energize the youth of this region to become more involved in their future as we are a self-governed society.
Dave Hudson and I have had extensive conversations recently regarding how Young Republicans need to exist here in the Beaufort County GOP, which currently, it does not.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 7:49 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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You Republicans will never let go of your old white men, who tend to be more racist than honorable as you pretend this Charles Hickman to be.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 7:15 pm
By: Big Bob 2.0
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Agreed, Stan, the YR's are a great way to get young people involved in the party. Although I had previously served on the Mecklenburg County GOP executive committee before moving to Beaufort County, the first position I held in the party here was YR club president from 1978 to 1979. In 1980, both of the Republican county commission candidates here were YR's, Richard Ward and Gary Smith. In 1982, our GOP sheriff and clerk of court candidates were both YR's, Tommy Clayton and Devonia Boyd. My successor as YS club president, Carol Cochran was elected county GOP chair in 1980. We had a very active and involved YR club at that time. I am also a firm believer that Republican womens clubs are a big asset to the party, although in our county they have not been as successful as the YR club was, back in the day.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 7:14 pm
By: Steven P. Rader
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Speaking of young people wanting to get into party politics, and then run for elected office, what we truly need here in Beaufort County is a Young Republicans Group that truly believes in their mandate to metaphorically teach young Republicans the value of learning to "work in the vineyards" a bit, to listen to we, who are wiser on so very much, and learn so valuable lessons so that they will be worthy to hold public office.
My first introduction to Republican politics was to be an ardent participant in the Young Republicans, when I was in my mid to late 30s, accordingly now, a newly developed Young Republican body of enthusiastic young Republicans would be a excellent beginning point for young Republicans, who truly need that educated starting point to learn from those of us, with so much real Republican experience in politics, and, moreover, governing.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 12:55 pm
By: Stan Deatherage
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Beaufort County does not need "Big Jody's" little political toy boy Austin Garrison. First she runs him for vice chairman of the county GOP, and then within days of that blowing up, she has him running for the school board against a seasoned conservtaive. Maybe he needs to wise up and get out from under her wing. Then he might be taken seriously in some future endeavor. He is her alter ego as a school board candidate.
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 11:34 am
By: Bubba
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People are making a good point about Garrison chumming up with Ms. Forrest. It doesn't seem likely that Garrison is such a Snowden advocate when his party mentor supports the Superintendent in all things. His misrelating the facts in the Snowden situation is nothing but a dishonest campaign ploy and part of a larger scheme to rid the board of a board member not afraid to say no to the Superintendent. Mr. Hickman is not a yes man and that is a problem to some of these people.
Further, I've found that Ms. Forrest lives on the north side of the river in School District 5. Why is she meddling in School District 2 on the south side of the river. Ah, but Stacey Davis represents District 5. I seem to remember Forrest as a Republican official playing dirty in her race too. There should have been party action against Forrest in that episode, but as far as I know there wasn't. Anybody seeing a pattern here?
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 6:51 am
By: Van Zant
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Charles Hickman is standing up for Snowden and has. He and Stacey Davis understand the impact this closing will cause on the student’s home life, extra curricular activities, the town and the trickle effect to the county. The school has worked diligently to raise their scores, has had leaky roofs and the faculty and staff has been bullied and neglected. Charles Hickman has brought this to the boards attention several times with no support. Why isn’t anyone stepping up? From what I understand there was a video the children made on YouTube. Stacey Davis was disheartened it was not shown during the community’s visit. Please post it for people to see. After hearing the Aurora’s mayor’s response and watching Cheeseman shutting down 3 schools while the board gave him control of the budget a few years ago it’s time someone stands with Mr. Hickman and start investigating what’s really happening. What about teacher class ratios after these schools close?
Has Garrison been planted to quiet CH?
Commented: Sunday, March 30th, 2025 @ 12:52 am
By: Momma Mia
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That is very telling, David. At the meeting over closing Snowden, Austin Garrision chose to sit with two people supporting the closing of Sndowden, NOT with the Aurora residents opposing the closing. One was the husband of one of the school board members who supported closing the school and the other was Cheesema's operative within the local GOP, Jody Forrest. Cheeseman was the driving force on closing the school and Ms. Forrest is always palling around with him at school board meetings. Garrison also chose to stay silent on the subject when he could have spoken on the issue.. He should learn how to spell P-H-O-N-E-Y
Commented: Saturday, March 29th, 2025 @ 1:54 pm
By: Conservative Voter
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Charles Hickman is overwhelmingly more qualified than Garrison to serve on the School Board. I have attended the majority of board meetings for more than two years. During that time I have seen the value Mr. Hickman brings to the board as well as his heartfelt advocacy for the community he represents. Although I can not state for certain that Garrison has not attended any board meetings until this past week, I can say that I can not recall having ever seen him at one previously.
There was opportunity for public comment during this past week's board meeting. One teacher from the Snowden school spoke out during public comment against closing the school. Mr. Hickman advocated vociferously against closing the school during open session in a debate which lasted for more than half an hour. I have a recording I took of the debate which I would be willing to share with any interested party in case the School Board's recording is unavailable or of poor quality. If Garrison were so concerned, why didn't he provide public comment in favor of keeping the school open? He certainly could have done so since he was in attendance seated next to Ms. Foster and Randy Walker. It would not surprise me that they are his current puppet-masters. I would like to see the qualifications Garrison believes make him more qualified to serve as opposed to Mr. Hickman. All I have seen so far is an attack by Garrison upon Mr. Hickman when Garrison announced his candidacy. Is Garrison a college graduate? How old is he and what wealth of knowledge or experience do his limited years of adult age provide to him? Is he a teacher? Does he have an education degree? Does he have children in Beaufort County schools? Is he a member of the PTO or School Improvement Team at any of our county schools? Mr. Hickman has provided faithful service to our county and his community as a member of the board. I highly endorse and support him and appreciate all that he is doing to make our schools better. I WOULD NOT ENDORSE OR SUPPORT GARRISON! HE IS NOT THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB!
Commented: Saturday, March 29th, 2025 @ 1:46 pm
By: David Hudson
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Charles Hickman is very well qualified and has been a voice of sanity on the school board. He has run his own small business, taught in the Beaufort County Schools, and served as an Army Intelligence officer. He has paid his dues in the Republican Party, having served as Beaufort County GOP chairman, congressional district Republican chairman, and many other party positions.
What has Garrison done? Is he employed? Does he have a college degree? Has he ever had any experience in the education field? Has he ever served in the military? All he seems to have done is shown up and done some work in the local GOP over the past year or so. Is someone else pulling his strings to get him to run for this position?
Commented: Saturday, March 29th, 2025 @ 11:35 am
By: Victoria
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That explains a lot. Reminds me of something I heard awhile back. Some of the out in the county people that were volunteering for the Washington municipal elections had an interesting encounter with this person that was then an officer of the local Republican Party. She was holding forth about how something had to be done about the three newly elected Republicans on the school board in 2022. Unbeknownst to her some of the listeners lived in Hickman's district. One of them told her they supported the new members. At that point she stormed of in a huff. Evidently, Ms. Forrest has issues with conservatives. I hear she is also close with the superintendent. Looks like the RINOs found a yes man prospect for the superintendent.
Commented: Saturday, March 29th, 2025 @ 9:03 am
By: Van Zant
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What Austin Garrison supposedly wrote sounds just like what comes out of Jody Forrest's mouth. If he wrote it at all, he was probably taking dictation from her. Jody Forrest is lined up completely with the Cheeeseman groupies on the school board.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 3:02 pm
By: Rino Hunter
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Austin Garrison did absolutely nothing in the fight to save Snowden but now wants to be an armchair quarterback. If he really cared about Snowden, why did he do nothing to work to save it? Garrison is just playing politics in the most deceitful way.
Charles Hickman, on the other hand, engaged in the fight. He made multiple visits to Snowden to get the facts first hand, the only school board member to do so. He participated in community meetings on saving the school. He spoke out for Snowden at multiple school board meetings. When it looked like a shortage of teachers there could give Cheeseman an opening to close the school, Hickman even volunteered to renew his teaching license, come out of retirement and teach there himself to prevent closure. Charles Hickman has fought for Snowden. Austin Garrison has been Missing in Action except for running his mouth after the fact without knowing what he was talking about. Austin Garrison was defeated less than a week ago for second vice chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party. He seems to be grasping at straws to try to keep himself relevent. What else will he run for after he loses this one, too?
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 11:56 am
By: John Steed
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This Garrison dude is a typical young "vineyard vines"-wearing cookie cutter RINO. He's 21 years old, has no experience and is definitely being told what to say.
Mr. Charles (Hickman) knows what time of day it is and takes pride in his service to Beaufort County. He's worked hard for it and it shows. This Garrison kid is just as lost as an Easter egg. A little Sun Tzu would put some hair on his chest.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 11:08 am
By: John Valley
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Charles Hickman has been one of the real heroes on the school board. He richly deserves reelection.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 10:07 am
By: Bubba
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When I see that Austin Garrison character banging on about Snowden, I wonder if he is just ignorant or if he is deliberately lying for his own political benefit.
Cheeseman has been in a slow motion project to close Snowden for a while. It is part of his pushing the liberal agenda of school consolidation, just the second move on that after his Washington elementary school consolidation bungle. The problem on the school board is the clique of Cheeseman lap dogs who will follow Cheeseman in anything he tells them to do. This time he told them to close Snowden and they said "yes, master". Those are Allen, Williams, Booth, Walker, and now apparently Hudson. Of course, Cheeseman also has a bent for political interference. He engaged in that twice in the last election, which would have given a conservative majority grounds to fire him for cause. A second motivation for Cheeseman's move on Snowden may well have been a political attack on Hickman, because he wants another lap dog in that position, something this Garrison character would seemingly fullfill. The only one who tells school board members what to do is Cheeseman. We have four independent minded board members now and do not need another Cheeseman sock puppet. These idiots in the school board majority are too stupid to figure out that Cheeseman is their employee, not their boss.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 10:21 am
By: Conservative Voter
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Charles Hickman has been one of the real heroes on the school board. He richly deserves reelection.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 9:49 am
By: Bubba
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The fact that his announcement ignores two big issues in front of the school board, curriculum and the new school construction boondoggle, tells the voters that this dude Garrison is NOT a conservative.
Ever since parents were outraged during Covid when the instruction at home regime allowed them to see the woke crap their kids were getting in the classroom, getting woke out of the curriculum has been the driving issue for conservatives in school boards races across the country, around the state, and here in Beaufort County. The "business as usual" crowd is being kicked to the curb all over the country. Garrison is either a liberal or he is clueless. Then there is the new school construction boondaggle where a series of blunders by the school administration, meekly rubberstamped by a yes-man majority on the school board has created a real mess. It would appear that Garrison wants to join that yes-man majority that considers itself subservient to our liberal and domineering superintendant.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 9:17 am
By: Concerned Taxpayer
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Austin Garrison is a protege and tool of Jody Forrest, the vehemently anti-conservative former vice chairman of Beaufort County GOP. First Forrest tried to run him for the position she was retiring from in the county party. That failed. Now she is trying to run him for the school board because she hates its conservative members whom she tries to badmouth every chance she gets.
Austin Garrison would be just another flunky of Cheeseman. Beaufort County schools have too many of those already.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 7:38 am
By: Rino Hunter
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I happen to know that Charles Hickman is the only school board member that even goes to Snowden. This Garrison dude is spreading false information.
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 6:18 am
By: Van Zant
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My good Conservative friend, Charles Hickman, is one of my most cherished foxhole buddies, as we both navigate the strange local politics of Beaufort County.
For some unremarkable purpose of incredible opportunity, RINOs, the most committed Beaufort County kind, have gained a significant foothold in local politics, with their pseudo governing style of bipartisan idiocracy. These RINOs, long supported and celebrated by the Beaufort County GOP, are why your taxes will rise here in Beaufort County in this fiscal taxing season, and they are also responsible as to why your children's education in our public schools is foundering, and in great jeopardy. Since I possess a logical mind, I would proffer that supplanting a local man, Charles Hickman, born and raised on the south side of the Pamlico River; of high integrity, with a great understanding of the wise projected prudence of a natural elected official, is unwise at this time. When good men and women of Conservative values are abundantly needed, and yet, there are so many Republican interlopers lacking the capacity for local leadership in the political class, we must have good men of high merit like my good friend, Charles Hickman. I will support Beaufort County School Board member Charles Hickman with great vigor, and abject sincerity just as long as I keep the Conservative responsibility of high purpose to do so; including, and up until the last moment, I draw the good breath to offer my significant strength to do so
Commented: Friday, March 28th, 2025 @ 5:25 am
By: Stan Deatherage
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