Alyson Otto is a candidate for the Fayette County Board of Education for District 2 in the upcoming May 24 primary election. She is running against Republican Incumbent Roy Rabold. 

Otto is a strong conservative, small business owner, and self-described Mama Bear. She is a member of the Fayette County Parent Watchdog Group and was also an administrative assistant at a private Christian school. She has been endorsed by the Georgia Republican Assembly. 

“Over the past year and a half, I found that by going to school board meetings and looking at school policies and through my own experience that this school board is completely out of touch when it comes to the best interests of our children in Fayette County and when it comes to the values of our community,” Otto said when discussing reasons for why she is running. 

Otto is against the teaching of Critical Race Theory, unlawful mandates, and the existence of obscene materials in school media centers. 

Otto also attacked the school board for their impulsive and reckless spending and lack of transparency, referencing the $500,000 thermal cameras purchased to track students’ temperatures in an attempt to combat COVID-19. 

Otto is facing the somewhat unique situation of vying for the position against fellow Republican Rabold.  

“Rabold has been a part of the Fayette County administration for over 30 years,” Otto said. “I’ve witnessed how Mr. Rabold first serves the status quo over the best interest of our children.”

Otto promises to represent the values of the local community. She wants to fight to bring freedom of speech back into Fayette County schools and back into the school board meetings. 

“I was shocked when I went to the school board meetings and witnessed how [the board members] treated the parents and community members,” Otto said. “I witnessed moms and dads begging for help for their children, especially special needs children, during this pandemic. I witnessed a board member mocking those very parents and community members on social media at the board meeting while they were speaking.” 

Input from the students is important as the students are the group most impacted by the board’s decisions. Otto believes that being transparent about the decisions being made and actively looking for input from the students are an integral part of any school board.

“I just want to be the voice for the students,” Otto said. “You all don’t get to vote on the school board members and I want to encourage the students to dig in and learn their rights, learn the civics, and find out why voting matters, why this board matters, and how you guys can make a difference.”

 District 2 encompasses Inman Elementary, Whitewater High School, Sara Harp Elementary, Whitewater Middle School, Starr’s Mill High School, Rising Starr Middle School, and Peeples Elementary.