The Moscow School District has two open trustee seats in Zones 2 and 5 respectively. Brian Kennedy and Kenan Lauder are running for the Zone 5 seat. Kenneth Faunce is running unopposed for Zone 2.
Each trustee will serve a four-year term.
The Argonaut conducted questionnaires for each candidate. Each of the responses below have been edited only for spelling as necessary. Each candidate was asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. Candidates are listed below in order of filing date, according to the Latah County Elections Office.
Find more information on how to vote in the 2025 General Election at https://www.uiargonaut.com/2025/10/24/2025-elections-moscow-voters-guide/.
Brian Kennedy
1. Who are you? Tell us about yourself.
I am a parent of two children who went through the Moscow public schools and have graduated in recent years (2021 and 2024). I am a professor of ecology at the University of Idaho. My teaching and research in the Fish and Wildlife Department focuses on aquatic and fish ecology. When I am in the field with students, I can combine some of my favorite things about hiking, the natural world, discovery, and learning.
2. What inspired you to run for this office?
Seven years ago, I volunteered to replace the Zone 5 trustee whose child had just accepted a teaching position in the district. I stepped in because of the incredible experience that my children were having in a school district that I saw as nurturing student learning, appreciating the diverse community that our college town brings together, and supporting the teachers who genuinely care for their students.
Since then, I have become more aware of the critical role that a board serves in our district and the importance of a functioning and collaborative 5-member board. I am currently inspired by a hope that we can 1) improve learning in our district with new buildings, 2) provide improved opportunities for Career Technical Education and 3) continue to hold the state legislature’s feet to the fire to support a “general, uniform and thorough system of public, free common schools” that maintain a clear distinction between church and state.
3. What would make you qualified for this position?
My experience on the board – Understanding the districts challenges and decisions around curriculum, budget and funding, legislation, board policies, and the safety of our children requires a commitment. I continue to learn essential elements that help me do this volunteer position more effectively. Secondly, any school board trustee should hold an unequivocal support for the system of public education that is being challenged in the state of Idaho under a bill that will direct tax revenue to private school choices. Third, having been in Moscow for 20+ years, my relationships with teachers, patrons and community members helps me to objectively listen and collaboratively navigate my responsibility to the taxpaying base in making decisions in the best interest of our both our public schools and our community. Lastly, I have spent a career in higher education in which I have advocated for 1) student learning outcomes, 2) the open exchange of ideas and 3) the right of teachers be treated well and compensated fairly.
4. What are three 4 main goals you have for your time in office?
- Continuing to think creatively about improving our district’s ageing infrastructure.
- Supporting the post graduate goals of our diverse student body.
- Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students.
- Maintaining fiscal responsibility in a state where per capita student funding is among the lowest.
5. What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
I think traits of a good public official would include transparency, effective communication, empathy and a dedication to the oath of office. In the specific case of a school board trustee, I think a genuine adherence to relevant constitutional principles, such as Article IX for a public educational system, is an important principle that could either qualify or disqualify a candidate.
6. What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?
Our main responsibility is to oversee, assist and evaluate the work of the superintendent. They are our one employee. Making sure that the superintendent is empowered to make good decisions is among the most important responsibility.
7. Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?
There are many amazing teachers in our district. While I don’t know them all personally, as a school board trustee, I do get to know some of the teachers and staff better than I would if I weren’t in this position, so that is like rubbing elbows with the superheroes of our district and perhaps a little-know power.
8. What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign, if any?
Bryce Blankenship, UI Instructor of Philosophy and Moscow City Council
Sandra Kelly, Moscow City Council
Hailey Lewis, Moscow City Council and candidate for Moscow Mayor
Tom Lamar, Latah County Commission
The Moscow Education Association
The UI chapter of the American Federation of Teachers
9. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing our community right now?
First, our community is not immune to the political divisions that impede effective progress at the national level. A functional school board operates above this political division because decisions are made thoughtfully as a single unit, without regard to politics, and with respect to what is in the best interests of students. Maintaining an allied school board is essential. On a second, related note, our board must convey to the voting public the gravity of our aging infrastructure and our need for new schools in a community. These appeals will be met with mixed feelings in the community about how we collectively feel about investing in our future students.
10. What do you believe is the role of a school board trustee?
The major role has already been addressed in a previous question – e.g. see responsibilities, Q #6 and challenges, Q#9. Additionally, we approve the budget, guide major changes in strategic initiatives, oversee large expenditures, alter and approve school board policy, approve hirings of administration, communicate board actions, and make decisions about necessary disciplinary actions.
11. How will you work to improve the quality of education in our public schools?
This has been sufficiently addressed in other questions, for example see below.
12. What do you see as the most pressing challenges facing your district and how will you address them?
We have aging infrastructure with buildings that all exceed 60 years old. At some point, our facilities impede learning objectives and become a financial liability. We must look for ways to grow our district in all ways, and that includes new buildings. That is a challenge over the next 5 – 10 years, but annually we have to continue to operate under the safest environment that can ensure both the physical and mental well-being of our students. We must continue to hire and retain the best teachers in a state that continues to chip away at public education. Finally, we must continue to communicate our challenges and successes along the way to make sure that our families understand how mutually beneficial a strong district and a strong community are.
13. How would you address issues or areas for improvement in the school district?
I would address issues by continuing to show up and listening. I would continue to be an advocate for public schools. I would accomplish this by understanding what the critical pressure points are for improvement and by being available for and listening to concerns that are expressed.
14. What initiatives will you take to increase voter turnout and participation in local elections?
I would encourage all constituents to come to school board meetings and express their concerns and frustrations as well as those things they find special about the school district. Additionally, we have been working hard to establish a public face to the school board through coffee chats or booths at public affairs. Because of Idaho state law, we have to be careful about conducting any business outside of the open meeting laws. But that does not in any way minimize our responsibility to hearing about concerns and questions in the district – public board meetings are the most appropriate forum for that, but I also encourage emails or phone calls that I can share with the other board members. That is all to say that the entire board consists of compassionate humans who want to hear from all voices in a way that is consistent with state law.
15. How would you balance issues concerning school safety, discipline and student and educator mental wellness?
See previous answers, as a school board member, I would advocate for mental wellness of all our students and teachers.
16. How should limited funding be allocated to best serve the needs of students and educators?
We project carefully, spend equitably and prioritize in a way that is consistent with student learning outcomes and children’s safety.
17. How confident are you in your school district’s literacy initiatives?
I am pleased with where we are academically across all grade levels. We received compliments on our 2025 accreditation review with noted strengths in “supporting learners’ interests” and “develop[ing] a love for learning” to “improve student outcomes”. In statewide achievement tests (ISATs) we were among the highest achieving traditional school districts (https://www.idahoednews.org/top-news/bright-spots-lists-of-2024-isat-top-performers-statewide/). For younger ages (K-3) we maintain performance targets for the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) at 80% for the percentage of students who are demonstrating reading readiness and prepared for the next grade. This identifies the individuals that need increased attention. For 2024-25, the district scores averaged above 80% at these grade levels. Results from the 2025 Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) show that 73% of our middle schoolers are either proficient or advanced on the ELA (English Language Arts)/Literacy exam and 70% of our high schoolers.
18. Do you support suspensions and expulsions for student misbehavior? If not, how would you address student violence toward teachers or their peers? Chronic disrespect toward teachers?
In Board Policy, we have guidelines on suspension and expulsion. In those policies, we have clear guidelines that establish punishable offenses and actions that may be taken be building administrators, the superintendent and the Board.
19. Do you think the district has a problem with phone use? Would you support a “phones away for the day” policy?
We implemented a new “phones-away” policy in all classrooms in the last academic year and I think the impression is that it is successful for learning objectives, heightening students’ attention and removing an undue burden from our teachers.
20. What is your stance on school choice, tax vouchers and charter and private schools within the city?
As with most of the important decisions about personal choices for our minds and our bodies, I am all for choice and in support of the existence of private schools with every opportunity to excel in their own way. However, I am strongly against the funding of those private schools and its students with taxpayer dollars. This comes at a cost to the tax funded public-school system that is encoded in the state of Idaho’s Constitution (Article IX). Taxpayer money should not be used to support private education in any form. Charter schools are part of our public education system, and I support them in all the same ways I advocate for public education.
21. What strategies will you use to retain and attract quality teachers in our schools?
While a little outside of the scope of a school board trustee, this is certainly a priority within the district. I feel that our role is to be attentive to needs in the annual interest-based bargaining process and equitably invest our resources into the teachers that power our schools. Teachers want to be compensated fairly and commensurate with their colleagues in neighboring districts. We need to be mindful of that while also maintaining a healthy work environment in our buildings so that teachers can feel safe, appreciated and fulfilled.
Kenan Lauder
Kenan Lauder did not respond to The Argonaut.
Kenneth “Ken” Faunce
Ken Faunce declined to answer the candidate questionnaire. He is running unopposed and is the current Zone 2 trustee.
Dakota Steffen can be reached at [email protected].