Local teacher takes over Prince George's school board seat in District 9
Erica Bennett defeats appointed member Chandrai Jackson-Saunders with 54.1% of the vote, securing a full term on the county board.
By Nathaniel Hayes ·
Families in southern Prince George's County will see a new face representing their schools on the county board following Tuesday's election. Erica K. Bennett, a 55-year-old principal at John H. Bayne Elementary School, won the District 9 seat. She defeated Chandrai "CJ" Jackson-Saunders, the only incumbent board member running for a full term.
Unofficial results updated Wednesday show Bennett received 19,171 votes. That figure represents 54.1% of the total. Jackson-Saunders collected 16,026 votes, or 45.2%. All 42 Election Day precincts had reported by the time results were posted. Provisional ballots had not yet been counted.
Bennett spent more than 28 years in education. She served approximately 25 of those years within Prince George's County Public Schools. During the campaign, she focused on protecting classroom resources and improving transportation. She also pushed for better special education services and greater accountability for district leaders.
Before the vote, Bennett told The Baltimore Banner that the district should conduct an independent organizational audit. She argued this step was necessary before making further cuts to school-based positions. "We just cannot continue to ask schools to do more with less without first examining how effectively we're using the resources that we already have," she said.
Jackson-Saunders, 65, is a retired school psychologist. The board appointed her in February to fill a vacancy. During her brief tenure, she advocated for safer transportation and greater transparency in special education staffing. She conceded defeat on social media Wednesday.
Jackson-Saunders wrote that she was grateful for the opportunity to serve. She noted her term continues through Dec. 7. She encouraged families to attend a meeting on Thursday evening at Gwynn Park High School to discuss the district's educational facilities master plan.
Bennett said she has a plan for her first 30 days in office. She wants to set measurable performance goals for the superintendent in areas like student achievement and communication. "I want families to see and feel the difference," Bennett said. "And not just hear about it."
