Cobb school board candidate profile: John Cristadoro Post 5 Archives

As he’s campaigned for public office for the first time, John Cristadoro said he’s heard from parents and others who’ve suggested that the Cobb County School District needs to consider making considerable change to improve.

He couldn’t disagree more.

The parent of a Walton varsity volleyball player and a Dickerson Middle School student, Cristadoro said he’s running for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education to preserve what he says is a successful formula for all students to succeed.

“Cobb County schools are amazing,” Cristadoro said in a recent interview with East Cobb News, adding that his primary objective, if elected to the open Post 5 seat, “is to help keep Cobb schools excellent.”

He’s a Republican facing Democrat Laura Judge (our profile of her is here) in the Nov. 5 general election, with the winner succeeding retiring four-term GOP member David Banks.

Cristadoro’s website can be found by clicking here.

Post 5 includes most of the Pope, Walton and Wheeler attendance zones and some of the Sprayberry zone (see map below), and was redrawn by the Georgia legislature this year after being under a federal court order due to the Voting Rights Act.

Cristadoro, a digital media entrepreneur who coaches his son’s 8th grade football team, is aware of the partisan dynamic at stake in this election.

Republicans hold a 4-3 majority, and GOP incumbents Randy Scamihorn and Brad Wheeler are also up for re-election.

Wheeler and Banks both narrowly won re-election in 2020, and since then partisan division has increased.

Cristadoro was recruited to run by former Cobb Chamber of Commerce president John Loud, a business client, who also is backing Republican Cobb Commission Chair candidate Kay Morgan.

But Cristadoro said he listens to Democratic voters and believes his priorities shouldn’t have a partisan edge.

The board’s GOP majority and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale have come in for criticism on a number of topics, but Cristadoro defends the records of both.

“I could care less about partisan affiliation,” he said, adding that what he calls a “hyperpartisan” atmosphere “is what happens when some people are upset.”

He said the board has done well in its key roles—approving the superintendent’s contract, backing state academic standards, being a voice for constituents, ensuring academic excellence and continuing accreditation and passing a balanced budget—all of which have the Cobb school district positioned for continued success.

Safety

The recent fatal mass shootings at Apalachee High School have prompted calls in Cobb for stronger security measures.

Cristadoro was coaching the Walton 8th grade football team recently in a game at the South Cobb High School stadium when shots rang out. One person was injured, and a 14-year-old was detained.

“We heard something go pop, and realized it was a shooting,” he said.

Within a minute, “there were like 40 cops and we took cover in an auditorium.

“At that moment, there was no safer place in Cobb County” because of the quick response from law enforcement, which included the presence of officers from a nearby Cobb Police precinct.

“There are always threats to our kids,” Cristadoro said, but he’s confident the Cobb school district is adequately addressing the issue (Ragsdale has said he’s making a safety presentation this month).

Book removals

Cristadoro also supports Ragsdale’s efforts to remove books from school libraries that have sexually explicit content.

He said he opened up one of the removed books, “Flamer,” and wondered, “why would a parent want to expose their kid to this? It’s the job of the schools to evaluate inappropriate content.”

He said he doesn’t understand those parents and others who complain of “book bans.”

“Why do they want to die on that hill? If you talk to a sensible parent, they want to have their parental rights protected.”

Academics

Cristadoro’s daughter is an honor student at Walton, but he said he understands speculation surrounding the school that “achievers get more attention.”

He doesn’t think there needs to be dramatic change to boost students at all levels of the academic performance level. Improved test scores across the board reflect efforts to focus on areas of need, rather than through major changes.

“Can we improve?” he said. “Yes, but in general things are pretty great here. We have a solid reputation for academic excellence, and I want to continue that.”

Cristadoro also supports efforts to introduce high school students to entrepreneurial initiatives.

Finances

Cristadoro thinks the district has been a good steward of taxpayer money, despite complaints from critics about a $50 million proposed special events center that eventually was scuttled.

Cristadoro said he doesn’t know “all that went into that decision,” but said some district critics “pick and choose” their topics.

He said he “couldn’t say yes or no” to whether he would have supported the special events center—with opponents revealing site plans the district never released, showing it to be on a larger scale than initially proposed.

But with a district annual budget of more than $1 billion, Cristadoro said he’s puzzled that the focus is on only a number of items.

“They seem to beat the same issues,” he said. “Sure these things deserve a conversation, but it’s over and over and over again.”

Common ground

Despite some of the sharp differences on key issues, Cristadoro said his discussions with parents and potential constituents have been positive and constructive.

He senses that most of them are more concerned with their children’s progress in school and not focused on a party affiliation next to a candidate’s name, or some of the topics that command attention at school board meetings.

“There are a lot of people who are issue-focused and not candidate-focused, and I think that’s great,” he said.

Some Republicans have said a Democratic board majority would usher in the wrong kind of change, and most likely lead to a new superintendent.

Cristadoro hasn’t gone that far, but said that “people really do appreciate our district” and aren’t pining for a a comprehensive overhaul as a means to making progress.

“We could always be working together to focus on what’s right,” he said, “and not just on what’s wrong.”

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