Following news earlier in the week of a former teacher standing in the 2021 Isle of Wight council elections and discovering during a Zoom call that two of his students were standing alongside him, we have news of more teacher and students candidates.
Gary Clarke taught at Sandown High School (which became Sandown Bay Academy and now The Bay CE School) from 2001 to 2017 and was staff governor and head of sixth form for most of that time.
Former students also candidates
Gary, who is standing for Labour in Lake North, got in touch to let us know that two of his former students have put themselves up for election in Sandown.
Alex Lightfoot is standing as an Independent candidate in Sandown North, whilst Toby Wilcox, who admitted last week he was a member of both the Conservative and Labour Parties, is standing in Sandown South.
Clarke: Heartening to see former students seeking to make the Island a better place
Gary told News OnTheWight,
“I am so pleased to see that two former students from Sandown Bay Academy have entered politics.
“As a teacher I am always perturbed by comments that young people are apathetic or not interested in politics.
“It is heartening to see former students seeking to make the Island a better place. I hope that everyone turns out to vote tomorrow.
“We only had a 41% turnout in 2017.”
Gary is currently completing a PhD in post-2016 Politics at the University of Portsmouth, so will know a thing or two about politics.
Lightfoot: “I wish Gary well”
Alex, who has been a Sandown town councillor for the last three years, told News OnTheWight,
“Gary indeed did teach me back in Year 9 when it was Sandown High School and was head of Sixth Form when I returned to be a business mentor for successive years of the schools young enterprise programme.
“I wish Gary well, and hope that much as in schools the focus should be on the students, that if elected his focus will be on the problems facing Lake North, rather than party politics.”
