Lehigh Acres voters can cast a ballot in two of four non-partisan Lee County School Board races in the Aug. 23 election.

The District 5 race, to be decided by voters who live in the district — mostly Lehigh Acres and part of North Fort Myers — features two candidates, incumbent Gwynetta Gittens and Armor Persons.

Seat 6 is at-large, meaning voters countywide may cast a ballot in a three-way race featuring Tia Collin, Jada Langford Fleming and Denise Nystrom.

Districts 1 and 4 are also up for grabs.

In District 5:

Gwynetta Gittens

Incumbent Gwynetta Gittens was elected in November 2018, winning against the then incumbent to become the first minority member to serve on the Lee County School Board.

She said that is one reason she is seeking re-election, “to add the missing perspective.”

Gittens, who has lived in Lehigh Acres since 2003, is a retired teacher who just recently renewed her teacher certification, a previous corporate vice president for Bank of America, an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. She said she also is a certified Supreme Court Mediator, as well as a board member for the Southwest Florida YMCA and SWFL Lighthouse for the blind.

“During the height of the teacher shortage, I went into schools and taught classes, so that teachers did not have to give up their planning period,” Gittens said.

For the past three and a half years, she said she has used her education, experience and skills to stand up for students and staff of the district and bring a perspective that has been missing from the board for many years.

“As the incumbent I believe our students, family and community deserve to continue the watchful eye and expertise of a qualified experienced educator and business professional. I know what questions to ask and I am not afraid to ask them for the benefit of students,” Gittens said. “As the incumbent I will relentlessly continue to bring to light the inequities and need for equitable resources in District 5.”

As a board member, Gittens said she voted against the other six board members 18 different times because if it is not right for students she will not vote in favor of an agenda item.

Her inspiration comes from the scripture “I have fought a good fight, I have kept my faith, but I have not finished the race.”

“I accomplished a lot for the children of Lee County and specifically District 5; however there is a lot yet to be done. Such as more equitable resources for District 5; more schools, better stipends to attract teachers,” Gittens said. “We must be able to incentivize educators that want to, and choose to, work in the East Zone, as well as provide travel stipends.”

During her time on the board she has fought for better pay and increased stipends for teachers and staff, battles she said she would continue. Other achievements include helping build three “desperately needed” schools in District 5.

“We need to focus on the needs for our students, not wants,” she said. “I have also fought to get the unacceptable condition of the District 5 portables fixed and they were done.”

In addition, Gittens said she will continue to fight for an East Zone Technical Center because 40 percent of Fort Myers Tech students are from District 5.

Armor Persons

Armor Persons lives on six acres in the eastern part of North Fort Myers. He and his wife, Judy, have lived in North Fort Myers for 35 years.

As a Lee County native, he attended Lee County schools, as did as his children and now grandchildren. He said this provides him with the past, present and future perspective of the school board. He became motivated to run after attending board meetings and watching the current board failing to respond to parents.

“But, my inspiration was my daughter, Jenna Persons-Mulicka, whose public service in the State Legislature has made a positive impact,” Persons said.

For the past 50 years, he has been in the field of recreation, where he is a USPTA tennis professional, working with thousands of youths, parents, as well as managing clubs.

“I own Courtmaster Tennis Services, a consulting and maintenance company, which operates in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties. Managing clubs and having my own business requires me to be fiscally responsible,” Persons said. “I know the importance of budgets.”

He said he will be the voice of parents and taxpayers, while putting the needs and well-being of students first.

“I would like to promote more transparency starting with a line item budget. We need to make the best use of the over $2 billion budget. The district does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem,” Persons said.