School Board elects Cranor as new president

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Published Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014 | 9:37 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014 | 10:38 a.m.

The Clark County School Board appointed a new president, vice president and clerk today.

Each January, the School Board nominates and votes on members to become executive board officers.

Erin Cranor was appointed president in a 6-1 vote, with outgoing president Carolyn Edwards dissenting.

Linda Young was unanimously appointed vice president, and Patrice Tew was unanimously appointed clerk.

Cranor was appointed to her new role over Deanna Wright after a contentious, hour-long debate, largely over the candidates’ time commitment and what the new president can do to turn around the public’s negative perception of the board.

Cranor has risen through the board’s ranks quickly — becoming clerk and then president — since being elected to the board in 2010.

Cranor, who has experience as a grant writer for various youth and education nonprofit organizations, has received several accolades along the way.

She was named new school board member of the year and school board member of the year by the Nevada Association of School Boards and was also elected president of the organization, effective next year.

“I’m ready for this,” Cranor told School Board members before the vote. “I’ve been preparing.”

Wright, who served as clerk and vice president after being elected in 2008, questioned Cranor’s ability to juggle her leadership roles and also run for re-election to the board.

“I have the full ability and open time to devote to being president,” Wright said.

In the end, Wright — a parent volunteer who served on several education committees — only received the support of Edwards, who said Wright had sacrificed to allow her to be president last year and for Young to be president the year before.

“(Wright) has waited a long time to be president,” Edwards said. “This is the year for her to be president. I think (Cranor) has a lot to offer, but she has many leadership positions right now.”

Wright, whose nomination for president failed 2-5 with only her and Edwards in support, was later nominated for clerk by Cranor, but declined. The outgoing vice president said she has served as clerk three times already.

“I think it’s time someone else had that opportunity (to serve as clerk),” Wright said. Cranor and Wright are fighting a state ethics investigation over whether they directed School District resources toward advocating a tax initiative for school renovations in 2012.

Cranor represents District G, which includes much of Henderson north of the 215 Beltway.

According to her biography on the District’s website, Cranor earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology, with a minor in chemistry, from Brigham Young University. She also earned a master’s degree at BYU.

She operates her own technical-writing business, Delphi Writers’ Group.