[StBernard] School Board Race Heats Up in Saint Bernard

[Westley Annis]

Is Vandenborre a Republican or a Democrat?
 
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The November second election is just nine days away, and in Saint Bernard
Parish an unknown political candidate is starting to make a name for herself
in the race for the district three runoff.  

At Rashelle Vandenborre's Chalmette High School graduation, St Bernard
School Superintendent, Doris Voitier told students to make a difference.

"I had a teacher that influenced me.  She always talked about having young
blood on the school board," says Vandenborre.

In 9-days the 18-year old freshman at UNO will find out if she'll take a
seat on the school board.

In the October primary election she led the polls with 38-percent of the
vote. 

Vandenborre is running on a platform to continue to improve St. Bernard's
test scores, which was the only district in the state where every school met
its growth target.

Vandenborre says "I want to reduce the dropout rate, the teen pregnancy rate
and start building more career seminars for the students."   

As she campaigns door to door some residents are taking her message
seriously.

The Saint Bernard Parish District 3 seat is a four year term and pays
6-hundred dollars per month. 

Rashelle Vandenborre says she's not in it for the money.

Vandenborre adds "I'm not in it for the political recognition I'm in it to
make a difference for the students like myself."

And since entering the race in July she's challenged her opponent Darleen
Asevedo to debates, but has gotten no response.

Vandenborre says "We've been invited to political forums, but she's never
shown up. It kind of makes me worried because how do we know that she's
going to show up to the school board meetings. It's like skipping class
you're skipping a forum that's maybe going to decide the outcome of this
election."

 Darleen Asevedo declined an on-camera interview with Fox 8 News for this
story.