Nancy Velardi, a retired Pinellas County educator and former president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, has entered the race for the Pinellas County School Board, positioning herself as an advocate for local control and greater teacher input in education policy.
Velardi announced her candidacy Thursday after a career that included more than two decades teaching at Pinellas Park High School and leading the county’s teachers union during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her campaign directly opposes state overreach: decisions affecting classrooms are increasingly being made outside of them, according to Velardi.
“As the president of the teachers union, I saw that control of local school decisions was being sublimated by government control,” Velardi said in an interview. “I don’t believe politics belong in our classrooms.”
“A lot of the curriculum was being scripted from above, sucking the creativity out of the classroom.”
She described a growing emphasis on standardized lessons and prescribed instructional approaches that, in her view, leave less room for teachers to connect coursework to students’ lives and experiences.
“It should be inspiring for the children so they truly take it in,” Velardi told Poliverse.
Her campaign announcement echoes those concerns, arguing that decision-making has moved further away from local schools and classrooms and that educators, parents and communities deserve a stronger voice in public education.
Velardi said one of her first priorities as a School Board member would be pushing back against what she views as increasing legislative control over local education policy.
“According to the Constitution of Florida, the School Board should be making these decisions,” she said.
She also argued that teachers have too little input when new policies, programs and curriculum changes are implemented. “As president of the teachers union, I saw policies and products written before ever getting an opinion from the teachers,” Velardi said. “We don’t have a say on what works and doesn’t work. There’s a use-it-and-shut-up attitude.”
Velardi’s candidacy brings a longtime educator and labor leader into a race that is likely to feature debates over curriculum, teacher retention and the role state government should play in local schools.
She also pointed to teacher recruitment and retention as a growing challenge.
“I believe good teachers should be honored and respected,” Velardi said. “I do not believe that letting someone go in their first year is a good move. Teachers are not a dime a dozen anymore.”
The state currently allows districts to dismiss teachers during their first year without cause, a policy Velardi questioned as schools continue facing staffing challenges. “Where are you going to get these replacements?” she opined.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Velardi worked in the private sector before returning to school to become a teacher and eventually relocating to Pinellas County. During her teaching career, she became known for creating classroom environments focused on critical thinking and student engagement before later being elected president of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association.
When asked what she most wants voters to know about her candidacy, Velardi returned to her years in the classroom. “I adored being a teacher. I loved my students. I always chose what was best,” she said. “That will continue.”