School board candidates set for November election

Published 6:18 pm Friday, April 25, 2014

Both of Dallas County School Board’s District Five candidates say they hope add to an already well-run group.

Local business owner Leonard Ingram is running as a Republican. Selma High teacher Leroy Miles is running for the position as a Democrat. Ingram also chairs the Dallas County Republican Party. Both Ingram and Miles live within the Selma city limits.

Ingram is a Dallas County native, who attended Auburn University after high school graduation. He earned a mechanical engineering degree from Auburn and began his professional career in the early 1970s as an inspection engineer with Union Carbide — a chemical company.

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Ingram then started a mechanical construction company and continues to be heavily involved in engineering.

“I’ve always had a mechanical mind and engineering just seemed like a natural fit,” Ingram said.

In 1996, Ingram ran for the Dallas County Commission against current Probate Judge Kim Ballard, but was unsuccessful. Now, Ingram says he is running for the county school board to help improve an already well-functioning operation.

“You can never give students enough quality education,” Ingram said. “I’m not saying there is anything wrong with the current school board, in fact, they are doing a great job, but I want to help in any way I can.”

He said the decision to run for school board came after suggestions from friends and acquaintances.

Bringing his experience in engineering and business management are a few of Ingram’s goals, he said.

Miles was born in Birmingham and attended college at Alabama State University. While in college, he was on the Hornets’ football team, playing tight end and offensive tackle.

Miles’s first job after college was coaching football at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, N.C. He also coached at Southside High School and Shelby County High School.

In his current role, Miles says his primary job isn’t just to ensure students are athletically superior.

“We are developing young men for the next level, both academically and athletically,” Miles said. “I’ve been in education now for 22 years and I know what it takes to develop kids and know what motivates kids.”

Miles said there are 18 seniors on the Selma High football team and 14 have been accepted into a college.

Miles says having a role in both the city and county school systems is a beneficial aspect of his candidacy.

“I just want to be able to do it on a larger scale and I think with the support of the other board members and the superintendent we will be able to help more kids have a bright future,” he said.

Neither candidate will face competition in the June 3 primaries. Miles and Ingram will face each other in the Nov. 4 general election.