Mother of Parkland victim gets challenger for School Board seat
Four years after the death of her 14-year-old daughter pushed her into politics,
Lori Alhadeff still doesn’t feel like her work is done.
But before the former teacher and stay-at-home mom, who was first elected to the Broward County School Board in 2018, plans any further, she must face Kimberly Coward, a Coral Springs attorney and former guidance counselor, in the Aug. 23 primary.
The winner will represent District 4, which includes Coral Springs, Parkland, Tamarac, North Lauderdale and part of Margate, for the next four years.
The Broward Teachers Union and the Broward Principals’ and Assistants’ Association endorsed Alhadeff. Because Coward filed her paperwork a bit late, she said she hasn’t participated in any endorsement meetings.
Alhadeff, who has raised nearly $100,000 compared with nearly $20,000 raised by Coward, is running on her record of changing things, particularly related to school security.
“When I came in, I ruffled the feathers,” said Alhadeff. “I brought to the board needed change, but I think I definitely have the energy and the desire to continue to make an impact.”
In 2018, Alhadeff replaced Abby Freedman, who did not seek reelection.
Alhadeff’s daughter, Alyssa, was one of the 17 students and staffers who were killed in the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
Coward, who’s single, co-parents her nephew who’s in ninth grade and has raised her godson from age 8. She said she can only empathize with Alhadeff’s loss.
“The situation my opponent went through is nothing I could even begin to speak on. So, I don’t even like to say I’m running against her,” Coward said.
“I understand the political process is adversarial, but I decided to run not to oppose Lori Alhadeff, ... because children are my primary motivator,” Coward added. “I am here for the best interest of the children, and I believe I’m the best choice.”
WHAT DO THE CANDIDATES STAND FOR?
About six years ago, Alhadeff and her family moved to Florida from New Jersey. Her husband, a doctor, and Alhadeff chose Parkland to escape the cold and because it ranked among the safest cities in the nation.
Up north, Alhadeff worked as a K-12 health and physical education teacher for five years up until 2002, when she became a stay-at-home mom.
While on the School Board, she pushed for “Alyssa’s Law,” which the Legislature passed in 2020
and mandates panic alarms at every school to notify law enforcement of an emergency.
For her part, Coward, originally from Dade City in the Tampa Bay area, attended the University of Florida, where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s in education and an education specialist degree. She also graduated from UF law school.
Like Alhadeff, Coward also wants to strengthen school safety and security,
which she believes goes hand in hand with mentalhealth issues. She wants to increase the number of support staffers such as social workers.
“I think academic excellence includes all those things — they have to be safe, they need to be mentally healthy and receive proper instruction that’s not a one size fits all,” she said.